Arts & Sciences Salon II

Join us for a relaxing day where you can revel in all your favorite arts and sciences.  Whether you want to learn a new skill or spend the day working on your current project in the company of friends and like-minded people, you will find your place at the salon.  In the grand tradition of salons as a place to freely discuss ideas in a welcoming environment, rooms will be informally organized.  Feel free to settle into one room for the whole day, or move from room to room on your own schedule.  Several classes, both beginner and advanced, will be offered during the day without set end times, so there will be plenty of time to interact with teachers and students, ask questions and practice new skills.

To facilitate the exploration of new ideas, a library will be available, including many hard to find volumes.  Start up a conversation with your colleagues as you pore over that new gem of information.  Find what you need to take your research to the next level.  Be inspired!  If you have a book or two that you are willing to share, please bring it along.  Our librarian will make sure it is safe and well treated.

A traditional day board will be offered.  The day will end with an arts and sciences display where everyone can come together to talk about their work.  Bring a project to share and tokens to show your appreciation.  This year the display has a theme!  See the announcement below.

Ambassadors have signed up to host the following TOPICS so far:

BREWING - Join us for a discussion of period brews, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

CALLIGRAPHY & ILLUMINATION - Come on in and relax a little.  Learn some calligraphy or illumination.  Learn about different inks or paints and what is best suited for your project.  Come feel and play with different papers and brushes and pens.  If you want to try it out we pretty much will have it.  As last year we will have a little project to work on if you want to in the C&I room.  We will have card blanks to create thank you and note cards to give to the royals for their needs throughout the year.  There will be help in the room throughout the day.


COOKING – would you like to learn a new recipe, or discuss the uses of herbs and spices in different times and cultures? Do you have a favorite recipe or technique you’d like to share with others? Stop by the kitchen for an hour, or the day – we’ll be having lots of fun. 

FIBER ARTS – do you want to learn to spin wool, linen, cotton? With a spindle or a wheel? Would you like to try your hand at weaving or tablet weaving or knitting? Do you have questions about how to prepare your fibers? There will be activities going on all day, for folks of all ages.

EMBROIDERY – “painting with the needle” has a very long history.  What style are you interested in? Come stitch with us.

LACE MAKING – needle lace and bobbin lace were the height of fashion in the 16th century.  You can add your own decoration to your garb.  It’s not as difficult as you might think.  (Did you make potholders as a child? You’ll have no trouble mastering the basics of lacis!)

DANCE – whether you want to learn a new step or new dance, try out your latest reconstruction on willing folks, or just get your feet moving, there will be something just the right speed for you.

PEWTER CASTING – haven’t you always wanted to make your own tokens? Learn how easy it is to make a mold or cast a coin.

MUSIC - Have you always wondered how to play those medeival instruments? Or perhaps song is your passion.  Whether you want to play with fellow musicians, pet an instrument, try a new song, or play a few tunes for the dance folks, you are welcome to join in.

GLOVE MAKING - Everyone needs gloves, from the noblewoman to the lowly farm hand.  Stop in to learn how to make your own.

MEDEVAL PLANTS - Come taste and smell and join the conversation about the many uses of plants, herbs and spices in period.

PERSONA - Whether you have been developing your persona for years, or are new, wondering how to focus your ideas, come explore the many cultures of the Known World, from England to Japan, there is much to learn about.

HAIR STYLES & HEAD COVERINGS - Having the right hair style can be so important.  Stop in to have your hair braided, and join the discussion of what's right your your culture and time period.

CLASSES during the day will include teneriffe lace; nalbinding; wool combing and other ways to prep for spinning; making eyelets; Japanese cuisine; beginning dance steps; pin making.

“Show Us Your Failures and What You Learned From Them"
A&S Display and Populace Token Vote

We are trying something a little different for this A & S display.  For everyone who has ever looked at all the meticulous, well-crafted projects that our artisans and scientists have produced and thought, “wow, that’s amazing… I could never do that,” we are asking for people to enter some of their “behind the scenes” work so we can all see the experimentation and practice it takes to be able to produce a magnificent end product.  We often learn the most from our failures and mistakes!

Please bring something that didn’t go the way you hoped or planned, and a short explanation (1 page or shorter) of what it is and what you learned from it!  There will be no judging, but each display item will have a bowl for collecting tokens from the populace (we will provide tokens for folks who don’t have their own).  At the end of the day, the entries with the most populace tokens will have the opportunity to pick from an assortment of prizes, so bring out the blunders and inspire people to keep trying and improving!  We look forward to seeing what you’ve been keeping behind the curtain!

Questions can be directed to Lady Finnguala ingen Néill meic Chuircc (nuri@frontrowcrew.com)


Your help is needed!  Would you like to host your favorite art or science? Contact Mistress Ose Silverhair at rnichol5@nycap.rr.com to become an ambassador.

This is a dry site.

Site Opens: 9:00 am
Site Closes: 5:00 pm