Sensorio – A galaxy of light for the senses

What has 58,000 stemmed lit spheres, is ran by fiber-optics, is powered by solar, morphs into a multi-color outdoor light show, is spread along a 15-acre parcel of land and can only be seen at night?  

You may think this an alien spacecraft from another planet, or something straight out of the X-Files, or a ride at Disneyland, but it’s right in our backyard.  

Give up?

The answer is the Sensorio Field of Lights display in Paso Robles.  The field of light exhibition that first sparked the imagination of artist and creator Bruce Munro has now turned into a major art installation, hitting the global market at warp speed.  

Driving past the wineries on Highway 46, you wouldn’t have a clue that this 15-acre parcel of land exists.  According to Sensorio’s media guide the groundbreaking exhibition, which first opened May 19, has been host to over 100,00 visitors.  Sensorio, which was slated to close December 2020, has now been extended to January of 2021. The art installation is a mixture of nature and art, giving the viewer an opportunity to experience a luminous optical bloom through the rolling hills of the wine country.

Bruce Munro’s vision first ignited years ago in the early ‘80s when Munro took up employment in the design and light industry, where he also studied natural light; his passion then began to grow for art.

Munro’s recurring theme of using light is his way of connecting with his audience on a more personal and human level. His reputation is known all around the world; from Australia, to his home town of Wiltshire, England, to London and New York. 

Now in Paso Robles, the show is gaining momentum.  Thousands of visitors are witnessing the illuminating glow and morphing colors for months, and just standing in awe of what is displayed before them like a canvas being brushed with color only instead the earth is the canvas.  

The crowds are so impressed with the lighted installation display that they are returning multiple times and bringing their family and friends.  The experience for some is like walking through the celestial array of stars.  

Art is one of those amazing mediums which allows each person the ability to be stimulated by what is presented right in front of them, and at the same time it is a great escape.  The exchanged experience is so personal it may even feel out of this world. Munro’s ability to orbit his audience to another galaxy just outside of solar system is truly amazing.

Not only is the fields of lights mesmerizing, but in this day and age it is almost a necessity to attend.  Spectators are walking away both with an ethereal and almost magical experience, close to spirituality.

Walking through the paths of the Sensorio, art enthusiasts are delighted to feel a sense of calm and relief, as if the installation is forcing them to stop, take a breath and invite relaxation into their lives.  For some, it is similar to laying in a grassy meadow and watching the Milky Way pass by one star at a time.  

Bruce Munro has made a connection to both the universe and humanity.  It is so refreshing to step into a world filled with lights and colors. 

Sensorio: Field of Lights in Paso Robles is open Wednesday through Sunday in the month of October from 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Wed, Thurs & Sun); 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.)

November – January: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Wed., Thurs. & Sun.); 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.)

For more information visit https://www.sensoriopaso.com