Experimentalist Vol 4

Your source for experimental news you can use from Experimart

Howdy friends and neighbors -

WOW! 1 zillion things to relay - here’s what I can fit in this time!

Read on to hear the latest updates.

We’re going places and we’re glad you want to ride along!

THANK YOU - YOU MAKE IT REAL

A few weeks later - We’ve almost recovered from the No.1 Grand Hoorah as much as we ever can! And what a fine Hoorah it was! A sincere thanks from the bottom of our lab coats to all the folks who came out and joined in the experimental art merriment! Whence before it was a dream - we now are a gang of 40+ Experimental club members - you can (and I hope you will at some point ) join us!!! <more on that below>

I’m a dreamer by nature and I’ve spent much of my life lost in thoughts and imagining all manner of glittering, intricate and occasionally absolutely fabulous (to me) scenarios, objects, institutions and other avenues of preoccupation. I don't know about you but generally speaking there is about a 99.9% to .01% dream to reality ratio of conversion in my own dreamland. So when something I’ve ginned up in my mind actually does happen - it feels like a miraculous moment. Like a wish being granted. On these rare occasions I might experience a sort of out of body experience - where I see the real life happenings living next to the figment in my mind. And I am amazed. ….

Where all these things come from - that is a story for another day and what sort of energy it takes to birth them another. Right here though - I wanted to take a moment to salute every last one of you willing to go on these adventures with me / us. Making it real is both the easiest doddle ever (just do it!) and simultaneously the hardest thing you can ever try! I can dream alone - comfortably (quite) but I CANNOT make any of these things without copious amounts of group participation.

Thank you to each person willing to take a leap of faith with me to see where this rainbow goes. Thanks to every person who has generously given their time and energy so willing to help grow an undiscovered gem together. Thank you to all the folks that have supported us with your hard earned dollar bills. Thanks to those of you who take the time to tell a friend. And also thanks really just for showing up with open hearts.

I firmly believe every joy can be magnified and every sorrow and be salved when we do a little creative playing together. We’re still those little kids building towering fortresses from sheets and cardboard and flying through the sky on stick dragons and duct tape jetpacks. The first step to a real thing is an imaginary thing. Speak the words and let it one day be so. Look out! The universe is sending AND the universe is receiving! Come join us and we’ll go places together.

Make sure to check out the Jeni-land Doll and Bear Hospital this Saturday if you’re free!

Excelsior

Bryce McCloud

Intermediary director of new projects Experimart + cub reporter of experimental notions

Experimart - A Diversion of Isle of Printing

Provisional Location 1 - BLDG 10 The Factory at Franklin

COME SEE US IN PERSON - WE'RE OPEN MOST FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS

NOON - 5 PM

Check our instagram for the latest info

PROVISIONALLY AT BLDG 10 - THE FACTORY AT FRANKLIN

JENI-LAND DOLL AND BEAR HOSPITAL RESIDENCY AT EXPERIMART < JULY 18 >
GRAND HOORAH RECAP
EXPERIMENTAL LIVING CLUB - FIRST CLASS CONGRATULATIONS AND MINOR UPDATES
BRIEF NOTES ON CURRENT EXPERIMENTS

JENI-LAND DOLL AND BEAR HOSPITAL RESIDENCY AT EXPERIMART < JULY 18 >

JULY 18th 2026

NOON - 5 PM

ONE DAY ONLY

EXPERIMART

at The Factory at Franklin

When picturing Experimart - from the outset we’ve wanted to be able to act as a spotlight to highlight ideas, people and activities we thought the world should see or experience. This lab is meant to be full of the collaborative sprint. We want to be a home for art and projects that might not fit into another category.

We’re pleased as punch that the first opportunity we’ve been blessed with is an old friend and fellow experimentalist named Jeni Hankins. She’s been following the universal spirit of creativity across the world as a singer / songwriter and writer / artist in many forms over the years. Recently, almost like in a Dicken’s novel come to life, a bedraggled bear sitting on an old mattress and pile of debris in London inspired her to begin rescuing discarded toys and stuffed animals, repair them and then find them new homes.

It’s a seemingly simple idea that hides a deeper meaning. Our toys are mirrors of ourselves. And like a good magic trick this idea has managed to amalgamate the personal stories of loved objects, knowledge and facility with historical materials and processes with the notion of reuse and reclamation. It's an approachable and poignant physical example that matter (and by association also kindness and love) is neither created nor destroyed but changes only shape and form.

So with sufficient ballyhoo we are happy to announce Jeni will be having a bit of a residency at Experimart on Saturday July 18. Read on for the particulars:

The Jeniland Doll & Bear Hospital!

Have you ever had a stuffed animal that became too fragile to hug? Has your American Girl doll become so floppy that she can’t stand up? Does your Barbie’s hair look like she’s been out all night at a punk concert? Did your bear’s paw look like a snack to your puppy? Or is your childhood toy just looking a bit sad and worn?

Don’t Despair. Repair!

Your doll and bear friends can find help at the Jeniland Doll & Bear Hospital! Your friends are special portals to memories and vessels of love. Let’s celebrate them through kind mending and gentle cleaning.

Jeni Hankins, member of the United Federation of Doll Clubs and the Doll Club of Great Britain, will be making on-the-spot repairs of dolls and bears at Experimart on July 18th, 2026!

She’ll also offer advice on the care and repair of your doll and bear patients.

Jeni’s bringing along a passel of newly repaired and refreshed patients who are excited to be adopted and to find further adventures. These dolls and bears came from last chance rodeos like sidewalks, thrift stores, and the actual trash where they just didn’t belong. No bear or doll does! Jeni’s rescues have had a thorough spa treatment and been mended and fluffed to their absolute fluffiest. Doll hair tamed and styled, bear fur brushed to ultimate softness.

Jeni’s rescue bears sold out a NashYarnFest, so come early to find a friend!

Bring your beloved doll or plushie to Experimart July 18th, for minor mends and kind consultation with Doll Doctor Jeni. Minor mends and consultations are free. Adoptable bears and dolls will be offered at kind prices. More major repairs and extended spa treatments can be booked by mutual agreement!

Keep our sweet dolly and plush friends out of landfill and attics and let them bring joy for years to come! Find a new friend for your further adventures! See you at the Jeniland Doll & Bear Rescue.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE PROJECT

Must be believed to be seen! On the penultimate day before the summer solstice we welcomed everyone to celebrate our first ever Hoorah with us!

Even after years of thinking about it - nothing focuses the mind like a deadline. The Grand Hoorah No. 1 is now in the books. As said before, thanks kindly to all who helped either make it happen or helped us celebrate the experimental spirit in person!

Our crew was unparalleled and the cast of participants ranged from near and far. We can’t wait to see where this first iteration leads us next.

It’s one thing to think about things and another to see them living and breathing through the tangible interaction of others.

Notably at the Hoorah, we opened the Experimental Living Club application process to the public (see below). We also debuted some new exhibitions and experiments in our Pencil museum! On display are a few highlights from the Cochran Pencil Collection. We’re actively soliciting your pencil stories and exemplar pencil selections for our ongoing exhibit: Lead to Gold - A meditation on the history and origins of the often overlooked pencil and its ability to transmute ideas into metaphysical treasure and literal gold.

Experiment 8 < How long can a pencil write?> is underway and we’re on the way to seeing empirically what the answer might be. More on that another time - suffice to say we welcome you to come help us expand on all of these pencil projects - it won’t be nearly as fun without your input!

There are still some limited edition hoorah prints available if you want to support the cause or prove to your friends that we did finally open something that resembles a storefront.

Several new items are now available in the Token gallery experimemento shop! Make sure not to overlook these tiny wonders on your next visit

There’s more to see and we hope you get a chance to come see it soon!

If you were there we welcome your feedback.

Documenting Pencil Scars!

Photos: Brian Siskind

Experiment 8 - how long can a pencil write?

THANKS X 1000 To the Experimart Grand Hoorah Crew! We couldn't have done it without you!

We are excited to welcome these fine folks to our Experimental club! Congrats for taking the leap and joining us! We are certainly looking forward to what experiments you are getting up to and to your experimental reports <which we hope to feature here>

The first step in a grand new adventure was taken at the Grand Hoorah and the Experimental Living Club was officially launched into the world!

What in the world is the Experimental Living Club? Well the easiest answer is that it’s a club of people who are dedicated to the idea of everyday trying to live a more experimental lifestyle.

Art, science, daily living, nature and whatever else you're into thinking about experimentally is welcome.

You can also think of the club as an ongoing social / interactive idea / art / experiment.

Our club’s stated goal is to be observant and examine the world closely, live creatively and log the results of our activities so that we may share them in community with other like minded souls. We think an observant world is a kinder world.

All are welcome to join and we will be offering various initiation events in the coming weeks and months. We prize in person activities but want to ensure that participation is available to anyone no matter your location <stay tuned / we welcome your ideas>. Members will receive an official identification card and access to club activities, knowledge base and use of club tools and paraphernalia.

Interested in joining? Right now we’re accepting applications in person only but we’re working on ways to expand our membership beyond our physical location. Reach out to us at info@Experimart.fun if you have questions or ideas. Or you are interested in being our beta testers for the remote experimental club application procedure.

If you are in the club stay tuned for special club announcements and activities as they become illuminated to us!

Photo: Brian Siskind

Readying ourselves for the Grand Hoorah gave us the opportunity to push several experiments a bit further along their intended paths. Here’s a quick rundown on newish notes

Experiment 7 Life’s Littlest Handbooks - we received some great submissions from the community and had the opportunity to create several for the first pressing of the year. We’ll expand on this in an upcoming article. Importantly note that on your next visit you’ll be able to acquire several different guides to take home! The tiny literature universe expands!

Company propaganda is likewise now also available - if you need to affix an Experimart approved idea to an object in a weather proof fashion we have you covered!

YOU CAN NOW ASK THE AUTOMAT!

All questions asked - answered!

Due to a clerical error of yours truly being here <off site> and the results being there <in the laboratory> we regrettably must postpone the announcement of the winners in this newsletter. But we will make that info known as soon as the results are in our grasp once again!