Judy Dayton, Twin Cities arts patron and grande dame of philanthropy, dies at 94
The painter Jasper Johns is known for his taciturn bearing, but when arts patron and philanthropist Judy Dayton walked into his Connecticut studio about a decade ago, he lit up.
“She drew the sunshine out of him,” said former Walker Art Center director Olga Viso, who was part of the visit. “It was clear that he felt great about not just what she had done for him, but for artists and arts institutions.”
A quiet grande dame of Twin Cities culture and philanthropy, Dayton supported bedrock Minnesota arts and cultural institutions such as the Walker Art Center, the Minnesota Opera