DAYTON, OH.- The Dayton Art Institute announces that the museum’s former Director of Education, Susan Anable, will serve as its project manager for the ReImagining Works partnership with Dayton Metro Library.

During her 21 years with The Dayton Art Institute – from Docent and Art Instructor to Director of Education – Anable was an invaluable asset to the museum. Her contributions began in 1991 as a Docent and continued for another 16 as a full-time employee, beginning in May 1997. Her work and the work of her Education team included: recognition of The DAI by Child Magazine as the third best art museum for families, developing numerous art education programs that served thousands of children and families from throughout the region, creation of the What Is a Masterpiece? interactive tour of the museum’s permanent collection, helping bring Wi-Fi and iPads to the museum, introducing the QR code and cell phone tours to the galleries, and curating numerous interactive exhibitions in the The Lange Family Experiencenter.

The ReImagining Works project, which began in 2014, invites local artists to use pieces from The Dayton Art Institute’s permanent collection as inspiration for new artwork, to be installed at the libraries. It is made possible by an anonymous bequest intended to integrate original art and innovative programming at the 17 new or renovated Dayton Metro Library buildings.

To date, artworks and artists have been selected for commissions at the new Main Library, as well as the Electra C. Doren, Northwest, and Miami Township branches. The Electra C. Doren branch artwork, created by Darren Kall and based on Charles Sheeler’s Stacks in Celebration, is the first of the ReImagining Works pieces to be completed and was recently installed. Artwork is slated to be installed at the Main Library and other branches in 2016 and 2017.

Numerous opportunities still remain for local artists to get involved in this exciting and important project. Four new artist RFPs will be issued over the next two months. According to Anable, RFPs will be issued in February for the Brookville and New Lebanon branch projects. Through online voting, The DAI’s Tang Dynasty Ritual Bottle and Dinner at the Casino by Gaston LaTouche were chosen as inspiration for the Brookville project, and the Japanese Footed Dish with Foliage and Homage to the Square by Josef Albers were chosen as inspiration for the New Lebanon project.

In early April, RFPs will be issued for the Kettering-Moraine and Vandalia branch projects. Celebration by Christopher Ries and the Japanese Large Chest were selected for Kettering-Moraine; the Aurora Red Ikebana by Dale Chihuly and Study Heads of an Old Man by Peter Paul Rubens were chosen for Vandalia.

Online voting for the pieces for the Miamisburg branch library project will take place later in the spring.