This post has obviously taken me a LONG time to get to. But as promised back in September of 2010, here’s “Quintessence :: part 3”. By this time it’s actually not much about the Quintessence: Multi-sensory show. It’s more about the fascinating experience of children and scent / fragrant art-form with a few more images from the show that I may not have shared. It’s also in response to the fact that many people have commented on and were attracted to one particular notation on my “Best of 2010” list, which was my ‘best fragrant experience of 2010: children coming to smell smells at the Studio’. It really is pure joy to share this world with the little ones and see their faces light up. They seem, even more than adults, to come openly to their experience and allow themselves to fall in love with scent. They are NOT afraid to feel whatever it is that the scent inspires them to. It’s so refreshing and reminds me that every day is still new at this stage in life and I just can’t let myself be jaded. Children will show you that and I am grateful for their effortless teaching.
I’d like to introduce Zyan Schultz-Williams, who is seen above smelling some of the ‘aroma sculptures’ at the Quintessence: Multi-Sensory show* last August. She was only about 13 months old but was already at least 6 months into her beginning scent training with me at the studio. (Of course, she is only smelling naturals). She is my young protégé and part of the fun we have together is smelling smells. Even more than just smelling we have been assigning ‘who’ smells like ‘what’ as well as what the scents actually are. Now there is a “Mommy” bottle that smells like the perfume her mom, Mary, wears (Aqua Admirabilis) and a “Daddy” bottle, too (aka Vetiver essential oil). These are the two bottles she usually wants to smell first and get’s the most comfort from but she also loves to smell peppermint, blood orange and vanilla with a huge snort and a proclamation: “woweee” or just ” AHHHHHHHHH”. I just can’t describe the sheer delight she takes in sniffing, grinning and emoting. I think everyone should share smelling smells with a child. Oh yeah, and did I mention that she figured out how to spray a bottle by pushing the nozzle against her torso? Yep: she’s a smarty.
Now she’s almost 2 years old and she’s definitely graduated to even bigger things: one of her favorite things to play with is a bottle (filled with water) and a pipette, which she smells and pretends it’s any one of her favorite oils. She’s also putting the drops in a second bottle so she’s already got the basic picture of what to do to start making perfume. (How awesome is that??) Her other favorite thing to do right now is color. So what do you think: are we making a budding multi-sensory artist here or what? Only time will tell but I for one can’t wait to see what this early interaction with her senses will bring. I think that what ever it is, it’s going to be AMAZING.
* the Quintessence link will take you to my Multi-Sensory Artist Facebook page where you can see every image in the show in the photo gallery.
** image credit: Zyan sniffing at Quintessence: courtesy of Mary and Brenyn Schultz-Williams
This is super cool, Dawn! I wish every child could get this kind of education, what a gift it is for Zyan. I’m with her on the peppermint, vanilla and blood orange, those are good ones!
🙂 Thank you, Carrie Meredith! I love smelling with Zyan; she’s so hilarious about it. I am hoping to start having classes for kids at the studio; I’m still working on the logistics for it. And, yes, Zyan has great taste in scents (as do you) ! oxo
That is absolutely wonderful! I let my kids smell many things too, I think it is necessary to train their noses just as much as their other senses and the feedback I get from them astounds me every time.
Zyan is adorable!
P.S. I received your package yesterday, thank you so much! 🙂
Thank you, Olfactoria! 🙂 Isn’t she cute? Funny and super smart, too. I bet your kids thank their lucky starts every day that they have a Mom like you! I so agree about training their noses and I suspect that Zyan will have deeper memories from this time. I can’t wait to see how she feels when she’s older.
ps: I’m so glad it finally arrived; I hope that you are enjoying the Antiu Mummy! 🙂
One person can make a difference and you do ! You read my article and I am concerned that in 20 years our children will lose the senseof smell entirely. beautiful article
Thanks, Michelyn! 🙂 I think if we hold the space and work with children to experience their senses we will keep the flame alive. With so much known about how we experience life / perceive wellness and happiness through our limbic system, I am shocked that more education isn’t dedicated to the task of helping kids learn to smell. I think this corresponds to how young adults are taught to shut out their emotions by society. If we can create room for truth in emotions, the sense of smell can hep us integrate and heal.
I love that we were so in sync… 😉
What a lucky little girl !
Would that we made smelling smells an important part of early education .
I have this dream to host a television series about the sense of smell . Believe it or not I e-mailed Oprah and asked her if she would consider doing it on OWN…a girl can dream right ?
We could feature children , Dawn and inspire the world !
Hi, Carol~ 🙂 Oh, I think that I am the lucky one…sharing her excitement for the world. Oh, I love your idea for a show dedicated to the sense of smell! It would be so cool to teach kids about scent, which improves their sense of well-being, their palate and their memory, too. There needs to be more, much more education about the power of scent and how to give this gift to children which will keep giving through their lives. Let’s keep the hope alive, Carol… shall we? 😉
She is so cute. One day she will be the nose 🙂
Hi, Bellatrix~ YES, she is cute and FUNNY. You know, you may be right: last Saturday she was at the studio and her mom told her it was time to go and she got very upset and just kept saying :” NO! I Smellin’!!!!” She got over it but I loved her vehemence for staying to keep smellin. 🙂
Have a great week~
Dawn, I love this. As you know, my main work is focused around children and creativity. Observation is not an ability which is only developed visually. I love how you give Zyan the opportunities to become observant with smell. And of course mixing in painting and art makes it multi-modal. You show such respect and awe and tenderness with Zyan, it makes me sad that you live so far away (I would love to collaborate with you). And on top of all this, LaMar and I have a special connection to How deep is the Ocean? He sings that to me every time he jumps out of an airplane to skydive! Besos, Marla
Hi, Marla! 🙂 Oh what a treat to see you at my little blog! Thank you so much for sweet comment ; how I would love to collaborate with you sometime. You never know, the world is getting smaller and smaller. 🙂
E send his love and I do as well to the whole fam! BIG hugs and love, D
ps: I love that LaMar sings to you when you guys skydive… how cute are you guys?? ❤ ❤ ❤
oh my lord, what a lucky littel girl.
how absolutely wonderful.
an education of the olfactory senses…
i cannot wait to hear (smell 🙂 what she will concoct…
🙂 Yes, Harper… It’s great! I feel like we are both very lucky. Zyan isn’t designing just yet but she is drawing up a storm. I should post some of the art we make together. She’s a treat.