Johnson Nature Center to host DIA Inside Out
By Lisa Brody
The Johnson Nature Center in Bloomfield Township has been selected by the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) Inside Out Program to host 10 pieces of art for display on its trails, beginning Friday, June 23.
“Now in its 14th year, the Inside|Out program brings high-quality reproductions of the DIA’s collection to outdoor venues throughout metro Detroit to increase engagement between the museum and its diverse audience,” according to the DIA. “From now through October, residents of Macomb, Wayne, and Oakland counties will be able to enjoy a piece of the DIA outside in their own community. Each community will display a number of reproductions outdoors clustered within walking or biking distance”
The Johnson Nature Center is one of 20 locations chosen for the 2023 Inside Out program, and one of six in Oakland County. It received the largest collection for a single participating site in the tri-county area.
The Johnson Nature Center, part of the Bloomfield Hills Schools district, is located at 3325 Franklin Road.
“We want to get our community outside walking the trails, breathing in fresh air, and taking in all the natural beauty the Johnson Nature Center has to offer,” said Alan Jaros, director at Johnson Nature Center and Bowers School Farm.
The Friends of the Johnson Nature Center, a 501c3, held a ribbon cutting ceremony with light refreshments and a guided walking tour of the nature center, stopping at the DIA art pieces, at 11 a.m. Friday, June 23.
“Experiencing DIA curated art along the trails gives an additional layer of beauty and inspiration for visitors. It is our hope that Bloomfield and surrounding communities will find this to be a magnificent sensory stroll that also offers an opportunity to learn about our local Michigan ecosystem and conservation at the JNC,” said Erin Watson, president of Friends of the Johnson Nature Center.