The Dawn

Tomorrow we journey south to San Diego for the Survey Select: Narrative Art Show opening. I will have a new botanical perfume on display as you enter the multi-sensory extravaganza. The show consists of 65 hand picked artists from all over the world, mostly painters.

When I was invited to participate in Survey Select I recalled a composition reaching back to March 2008 with a challenge by poet Heather Ettlinger. Heather invited fourteen perfumers to interpret the Ezra Pound poem titled In the Station of a Metro. At the time the perfume was all theoretical, although I had begun a few sketches in the form of accords.

For Survey Select I have resurrected the formula, made several alterations and now present it a new. The original image that my husband, artist Greg Spalenka, created to illuminate the perfume has also been revamped.

In a Station of the Metro
The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.
~ Ezra Pound

The new perfume and image is titled "Gracing the Dawn" referring to three nature sprites,
"apparitions" which have descended on a wood bough. The sprites have arrived to ignite the Spring, to bring light to the dark. Originally the perfume was titled The Three Graces, however, research indicates that another perfumer is using that string of words.

Orchestration of the fragrance began with a dark base consisting of three separate accords. Some of the accords are found in other perfumes, particularly GreenWitch. The heart of the perfume is composed of sweet woods for the "bough" harmonizing with rich and delicate floral notes representing our triad of sprites. The three main floral notes are Rose, Jasmine and Mimosa. The wood and Mimosa bring warmth to deep base. There are a myraid of exotic essences in this composition, including Cestrum nocturnum, Night Queen, from South India. For the dawn, which reveals these luminous deities to our eyes, I've chosen bright top notes of citrus and ginger.


I had my daughter whiff the fragrance and she proclaimed "Purple! This smells like a perfume for a sophisticated lady. A good addition to the line since you don't have anything like it."


There are velvety violet notes present in the aroma weaved in with the woods. The perfume is of another era, you will see (smell) what I mean when you experience the aroma. If you are keen to sample the fragrance please stop by the show. Soon I will list vials and flacons for sale, but first, samples will go out to a few bloggers and the select members of the Faery Circle.

Gracing the Dawn is part of a new series of perfumes in collaboration with Greg Spalenka's Flowers of Fortune limited edition art card series and scratch off game. The cards and perfumes will soon be available online and at Comic Con in San Diego. Our booth this year at Comic Con (The San Diego Comic Convention) is number 5553. I admit to feeling a small rush of excitement at the anticipation of Comic Con.

“Survey Select” premiers with a private event at the Wonder Bread Factory located at 1440 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA (14th and Imperial) from 6pm to 11pm featuring a full bar, tasty treats, live music and off course arts and artists from all parts of the Earth. The show will be on display Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm each day with a full calendar of events.

Related Post: Narrative Art Exhibition.

Gracing the Dawn illumination ©Greg Spalenka.