Nectar: War Upon the Bees /  by kelly heaton

One week remains to see my work at Pratt Manhattan Gallery as part of the show "Nectar: War Upon the Bees." Through February 11. 

https://www.pratt.edu/events/single/?id=52214

The process of making "Smells like Money (Hungry Spirits)" 2015 and "Spent Flower," 2015

Left: Smells Like Money (Hungry Spirits), 2015; Right: Spent Flower, 2015

perfume and my artistic practice /  by kelly heaton

A collage of recent works in perfumery, including my line, Field to Fragrance®, and my company insignia, The Virginia Perfume Company

A collage of recent works in perfumery, including my line, Field to Fragrance®, and my company insignia, The Virginia Perfume Company

I have decided to add perfumery to my artistic portfolio. For years, I searched for scents that I loved and was almost always dissatisfied. Real perfume is rare in today's marketplace; and when you find it, the costs are exorbitant. I understand the expense to a point: ingredients for perfume are precious and valuable, but the added fees for brand identity are excessive. I discovered that making perfume is similar to my existing practice, wherein I combine traditional media, engineering, and intuition. Perfumery promises transcendent results, but the process of creation is both artistically and scientifically demanding. Fortunately, I have a knack for art and science, so making perfume has been a natural progression for me.

Creating chakric perfumes for "Bee the Flower," 2015

Creating chakric perfumes for "Bee the Flower," 2015

Some of you may remember my initial foray into perfumery from Pollination (2015). I created a series of perfumes corresponding to the chakras of the human body, along with body pollen. Both were combined into a painting kit that is used to adorn yourself with scent and color -to literally become a flower- as would attract a bee (or in our case, another pollinating human being). I plan to revisit the formulas for my chakric perfumes and launch a related line in 2017 under the umbrella of The Virginia Perfume Company. Each chakric perfume is designed to evoke a bodily frequency spectra for the enhancement or healing thereof.

Some of my notebook writings to create a new formula, revealing my process and failures

Some of my notebook writings to create a new formula, revealing my process and failures

Making a new formula is a challenge that I liken to inventing a new recipe, such as for Mrs Fields Cookies. Although I start with a vision, I can't predict the complex interactions that occur in the mixing process. Some surprises are positive while others are lackluster or even disastrous, ruining the entire mix and forcing a time-consuming and expensive restart. Obviously, I develop using small quantities because I never get the formula right on my first try. For some formulas, I spend many months and thousands of dollars of ingredients down the drain.

A typical view of my perfume bench during development

A typical view of my perfume bench during development

When a formula finally comes together, it feels like magic. The ingredients gel into a perfume that evokes memories and emotions. Smell is such a strong and ancient sense. The effort to create a perfume of great beauty is worth every effort. You can experience my results here. Thank you for your interest in my perfumery, as I take great pride in my work; not to mention, by purchasing my perfumes you are supporting my overall artistic practice. For that, I am extremely grateful.

Many thanks and kind regards,

Kelly Heaton