Boulder creatives are teaming up to pair art, music, food and wine in a unique event that will engage all of the senses in one artistic experience.
This one-night multi-artist collaboration will transform an art studio in Boulder into an immersive creative experience for the eyes, ears, nose, mouth and hands next month.
“An Evening for the Senses” will be a labor of love that includes contributions from Boulder-based restaurant Blackbelly, painter Will Day, composer Bruce Klepper, winemaker Aaron Jackson and musicians from the Parlando School of Musical Arts. The event will benefit Parlando’s Tuition Assistance program
“This whole event is about learning how to transform yourself into a creative spirit and accept that we’re all individuals that really crave the connection of creativity,” Day said. “This is truly a wonderful collaboration between people … that will bring the senses together to bring joy and conversation to a time in our lives where that needs to be expressed.”
Taking place at Day’s studio, 3550 Frontier Ave., suite D, in Boulder, the evening will pair his paintings with unique compositions from Klepper, themed food from award-winning Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s Blackbelly, and themed Paso Robles wine from California winemaker Aaron Jackson — all in a feast for the senses. Attendees can view each piece while enjoying a fully immersive experience unique to each work of art.
Four pieces of Day’s will be on display at the event, all of which fit into his style of abstract expressionism, which he described as an art form that prioritizes freedom.
“Abstract expressionism is a form of communication, of learning to let go and be in the moment and letting the paint speak to the world,” he said. “It’s a form of art that is defined by the unknown, and it allows the painter to attack the canvas from a total sense of freedom that’s very authentic and raw.”
Although each piece and its music and food pairings will be unique, the event holds a common theme — sharing the impact and importance of creativity.
“I always say that creativity saved my life,” Day said. “It’s the way I connect to my family and community and friends, and learning how to express myself on canvas through paint gave me the courage to move forward in my own world, in my own life. It taught me how to be present, to let go and use painting as a metaphor to let go of all my anger and fear.”
Each of the four pieces will be paired with a piece of music, an artform Day said has also been instrumental in his practice.
“Music has played a very important part of my dialog with the canvas, always has and always will,” Day said. “So I’ve created a body of work that sings to the soul of the individual through the spirit of music and painting.”
Klepper’s compositions for the event will follow his unique style, which blends classically written music with creative soundscapes recorded from the environment.
“When I write music, I’m creating art for art’s sake,” Klepper said. “I write the music like Beethoven would — note by note. Then in many of the pieces I use real sounds from the environment, sound effects that have been recorded that are then mixed with the music.”
Those sound effects differ based on the theme of the piece but have included noises from the bustle of New York, sounds from a busy kitchen and recordings of the sounds icebergs make as they shift underwater.
The unique and dynamic compositions bring an additional element to viewing the paintings, and encourage attendees to experience creativity with multiple senses.
“For me, art is an outlet, I love to make people feel better and enrich their lives through my art,” Klepper said. “I think music is one of the greatest communicators, because there’s no language barrier, it’s just emotion.”
In addition to Klepper’s music, a series of ensembles from the Boulder-based Parlando School of Musical Arts will be playing at the event. Proceeds from the event will benefit Parlando’s tuition assistance program, which ensures that as many students as possible can gain access to learning music.
“My entire career is focused around providing access to music and the arts to people of all abilities, and without tuition assistance and scholarships I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Travis LaBerge, co-founder of the school, said. “That assistance allowed us to pursue our passions, realize our potential and be in the position now to give back.”
Parlando is a music school based out of the Dairy Arts Center, but the school launched its humble beginnings in Broomfield.
“My wife Christine and I started Parlando over our kitchen table at our first house in Brandywine,” LaBerge said of the Broomfield neighborhood. “And now we’re Colorado’s largest stand-alone music education and outreach organization.”
Tuition assistance was one of the core programs the school was founded on and has continued at Parlando for over 20 years. Each year, the school provides over $60,000 in tuition assistance to over 100 students.
“We really want people to know that this isn’t some high-brow, very intellectual type of experience,” LaBege said of the event. “It doesn’t matter if you know a lot or a little about music or art, this is something that is very easy to immerse yourself in and appreciate on whatever level is appropriate to you.”
The event will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 6 at Day’s Boulder studio. Tickets start at $35, and can be purchased at bit.ly/3Eyyc2O.
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