“I think the process of drinking a good cocktail, just like drinking a nice glass of wine, is a very cerebral activity,” said Lauren Gay, owner of Joui Wine in Dayton. “There’s all of these different flavors and nuances that you can pick out of a drink if it’s well crafted and well constructed. For me, whenever I have a really good cocktail, it lights up my brain just like enjoying a good piece of art does.”
What to expect
Joui Wine, along with The Bar Time, Bernstein’s Fine Catering, Club Oceano, Dewberry 1850, Hotel Versailles, Jimmie’s Ladder 11, Manna Uptown, The Reserve on Third, Smith’s Boathouse, Sueño, Tender Mercy, Tuty’s Bar and Grill, Whisperz Speakeasy and Wheat Penny will compete in two donate-to-vote competitions — highlighting the crowd’s favorite cocktail and the most creative bar decorations.
Guests will receive a punch card to visit eight of the 15 bartenders at the event to not only enjoy a cocktail, but learn more about their drink recipe.
“Bartenders love to talk to people and so part of this for them is also the art of conversation,” said Mike Griest, DAI’s external affairs director. “Just like we do here with art, where we educate and help people dig a little deeper, we hope we’re doing that too with the cocktails.”
Spirits featured include bourbon, gin, rum, tequila and vodka. Hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be provided. There will also be a silent auction.
The art of cocktail making
“I would argue that mixing a great cocktail is an art,” Griest said. “If you go to one of these great Dayton establishments and you order a cocktail... you’re going be provided with a work of art.”
From the garnishes and the glasses to the flavor profiles, a lot of thought and consideration is given.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
“There’s a lot of craft that goes into creating a sculpture or a painting, and there’s a lot of craft that goes into creating a cocktail as well,” Gay said. “It really is a skill and a labor of love, and a piece of art in and of itself.”
In terms of coming up with cocktail recipes, Gay relies on the different talents and perspectives of her team. Inspiration not only comes from social media but studying historic recipes and focusing on certain ingredients.
The wine bar’s current top seller is a seasonal cocktail called, “The Spice Girl.” It’s essentially a riff on the Manhattan that’s garnished with a pot of anise that’s soaked in lemon oil. When presented to the customer, they light it on fire.
“(The garnish is) meant to be a part of the drink that enhances it,” Gay said. “I think that over time, it’s evolved into a necessity of the drink to make it pretty as well as appealing because we always eat and drink with our eyes first.”
The combustion of the anise pod adds an aromatic quality to the drink to create a sensory experience for the nose, in addition to the taste buds.
For this event, Joui is creating a cocktail using rum.
Raising awareness for conservation
DAI is hoping to raise awareness about how they preserve and protect art at the museum through this event.
“When we agree to take a piece into our collection, we agree then to take care of that piece for the lifetime of the work,” Griest said.
To preserve and protect a small painting, it can take weeks to clean, Griest said. It’s typically cleaned inches at a time with Q-tips and other tiny instruments.
“Even though we keep everything at the right temperature... light and time break things down and stuff has to be cleaned and repaired,” Griest said.
Paper objects are displayed for a short period of time before they have to be put back into a dry, dark storage area for up to three years.
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Repairing a piece gifted by Julia Shaw Patterson Carnell
Curated is dedicated to the conservation of a work donated to the museum by benefactor Julia Shaw Patterson Carnell.
The artwork, created in the late 18th–early 19th century, is titled, “Contemplation on Manjushri’s Buddha Field.” It’s a Mongolian painting on fabric featuring images of Buddha.
“It’s beautiful, but we have to stabilize it and protect it before we can put it back out for the public to enjoy in our Asian collection,” Griest said.
The conservation process will repair tears in the fabric and stabilize loose paint on the artwork.
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
“There were different feelings about how art should be taken care of than there are now,” Griest said. “It is worn. It has a puncture. It was not stored correctly at some point.”
The museum has a grant for partial payment for the restoration of this piece. It’s hoping to raise an additional $40,000 to get started.
If all goes well, the piece is expected to be on view by 2026.
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
“We are excited to have this piece as a start because I think it speaks to a lot of what we do here,” Griest said. “In the future, we’ll continue to identify one thing each year that will be the centerpiece.”
MORE DETAILS
Tickets for the event are $150 with $50 of each ticket sold going directly to art conservation. Attendees must be 21 or older with a valid ID.
For more information, visit daytonartinstitute.org/upcoming-events/special-events/curated/ or the museum’s Facebook or Instagram pages (@daytonartinstitute).
The Dayton Art Institute, located at 456 Belmonte Park North, is open 11 a.m. to 5 pm. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
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