Art – no matter the form – is often experienced through the eyes and ears. The only problem with that is the other senses can feel a little left out.
The Kimball Jenkins School of Art has a solution for that: the Summertime Art Sensorium.
If you’ve never heard of the Sensorium before, that’s because it’s never existed before. The weeklong set of workshops, performances and activities – which will run June 19 to 25 – will replace the Paint the Town event, which was a one-night-only thing.
During the week of the Sensorium, the Kimball Jenkins campus will turn into a playground for the arts, with live music and dance, art displays, group activities, fine cuisine and more.
“We’d love for people to just try some new things,” said Kim Murdoch, director of philanthropy at Kimball Jenkins.
The idea is that visitors to the Sensorium will get to try enough things to engage all of their senses.
There will be more than a dozen free workshops and events, from watercolor to arrow making, adult summer camp to printmaking, found object art to DIY bath salts, essential oils for pets to kids’ summer camp preview, rain stick making and more.
History buffs will enjoy tours of the historic district and Old North Cemetery, while performing arts fans will get to take in youth violin and classical ballet performances.
You can also take part in a host of competitive and noncompetitive yard games, a community-style Jackson Pollack and a mind-bending performance by magician Andrew Pinard, then wind down with some tree meditation and high tea.
Art from Melissa Miller, Jim Wolcott, Colin Callahan and Mike Howat will be on display in the mansion during the week. Foodies can register for some culinary delights from O Steaks & Seafood and the Granite Restaurant, who have each prepared some gourmet meals to be served on Thursday and Friday nights. You’ll also get to hear directly from the featured artists, who will be in attendance at the dinners, and to hear some live classical music.
The Sensorium features a mix of free and ticketed events, but almost everything is free. Here’s a rundown of the schedule – note that several events overlap, so don’t double-book yourself. For a more detailed schedule and ticket information, visit kimballjenkins.com/sensorium.
Monday
1 to 2 p.m.: Classical ballet performance by Eastern Ballet Institute. Dancers are ages 12 to 14 and will answer audience questions at the end of the performance. The show is in the carriage house.
1 to 3 p.m.: Playing with Watercolor. Get a feel of the medium of watercolor with instructor Sylvia Brofos, who will show you how to mix color and compose a painting.
1 p.m.: Tree meditation. Meditate while gazing up at a tree.
2 to 4 p.m.: Knife sharpening and arrow making with Dan Dustin. Woodworker Dan Dustin has come out of retirement to teach you a valuable lesson – how to sharpen a knife. You’ll also learn the art of arrow making in the traditional method. Class is limited to eight.
Tuesday
5 to 7 p.m.: Outdoor lawn games. Bocce, bean bag toss, disc golf and croquet will be played, some competitively and some noncompetitively. There will be a tent, so even if the weather is less than ideal, you can still play.
Wednesday
5 p.m.: Sensorium History Tour. Use all your senses to appreciate the architecture and atmosphere of North Main Street. A Concord Chats guided street tour presented by the Concord Historical Society in partnership with Kimball Jenkins.
6 p.m.: Intro to Printmaking. Printmaking is one of the most diverse and creative mediums in the art world. Let up-and-coming artist Mike Howat bring out the artist in you. No experience required.
6:30 p.m.: Old North Cemetery Tour. Join Jill McDaniel, Concord’s cemetery administrator and historian, on a tour of gravesites associated with Kimball Jenkins and the Pierce Manse. Meet at the cemetery entrance, or walk over together after the Sensorium History Tour.
Thursday
5:30 p.m.: Mansion Dinner: Senses + Sensibility. Enjoy a five-course prix fixe menu from O Steaks & Seafood, live music and complementary wine and beer, all amid art and the featured artists. This event requires advance registration and tickets are $75. Drinks, music and art will begin at 5:30 and the first course of the meal will be served at 7.
6 p.m.: Make your own scented bath salts.
6 p.m.: Adult Summer Camp. Bring out your inner 6-year-old. This is your chance to do all the creative and fun art projects the summer camp kids get to do. It’s going to get messy, so dress appropriately.
Friday
5:30 p.m.: Mansion Dinner: Passion + Perspective. Indulge in some seasonal cuisine from the Granite Restaurant, live music and free wine and beer. Like the Thursday night dinner, this one requires a $75 ticket and advance registration online. Drinks, music and art will begin at 5:30, with dinner starting at 7.
Saturday
10 a.m to noon: Found Object Art. Master of mixed media artist Carla Roy will help you turn a box of stuff into a work of art. Bring anything you think might be helpful in your creation.
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Community-style Jackson Pollack. Anyone who wants to will throw some paint down on a canvas. “Folks will want to not wear their Sunday best,” Murdoch aid. This event is weather-dependant since it’s outdoors.
11 a.m. to noon: Rainstick making. Make your own rainstick and learn about Native American history with Kylee French. Open to all, though geared toward kids ages 4 to 7.
Noon: Andrew Pinard magic show. Pinard will perform some old-fashioned magic. It will be most likely in the carriage house, but it may move to the tent.
2:30 p.m.: High Tea. Steeping in the elegant atmosphere of our historic mansion, you will experience a traditional English tea. From the classic “cuppa” black to exotic herbal blends, an exquisite selection of teas and tisanes will be presented for your delight in a collection of antique china serve-ware. Fresh locally roasted coffee will be offered for those seeking something more robust. Drinks will be accompanied by locally baked sweets and dainty fingerling sandwiches. This event requires advance registration and tickets are $15 per person.
Sunday
10 a.m. to noon: Summer Arts Camp preview. Summer Arts Camp Director Lee Roy Johnson will give you and your kids a sample of the projects coming up this summer.
10 a.m.: Tree meditation.
