By Anton Constantinou
What does art smell like? The obvious answer is paint, oil, glue, pencil shavings, tissue paper and other such materials. But what if art could smell of something more interesting? Perfume, for example.
Enter Mabelle O’rama: an artist and scent maker who makes abstract art from scented wax, creating scented pieces that take art and perfume to a whole new level.
Her olfactive art is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and brings home what a powerful art form scent can be when utilised correctly.
I first met Mabelle at the Wimbledon Art Fair in May 2022, where she was exhibiting. I was instantly taken in by her work and insisted on a follow-up interview. This is her story.
Let’s start with an obvious question. Who is Mabelle O’rama?
Mabelle O’rama is an olfactive studio, which I’m the founder of, which is dedicated to scent experimentation and education. Our aim is to push the boundaries of how we experience scent.
What you do is certainly unique. How would you describe your art and your approach to it?
I approach the work I create from various angles, with scent being the focal point in everything I do. It starts with an idea or memory I’m trying to capture, which I document by writing up a brief and selecting the necessary materials.
Then comes the fun part of testing a formula and how it diffuses through various mediums. Once this is finalised, I start working on the visual element, portraying a feeling or visual memory associated with a particular scent.
My art is abstract and based on different colours, textures and dimensions. It’s like adding a visual aid to the invisible (but very present!) scent.
Interesting. Is it fair to say you’re a perfumer as well an artist?
I started off training as a perfumer and later incorporated art in my work, so you could say I’m now an olfactive artist.
What came first: your love of art, or your love of fragrance?
On a personal level, I was into art before I was into fragrances. On a professional level, I got into fragrance and then incorporated art.
I see. Sounds like you’re equally into both things. What made you combine the two?
Mainly the desire to tell a story through scent, without having it ‘expire’. This led me to explore different mediums to illustrate that. I started off experimenting by mixing paint and fragrance, but this didn’t project enough aromas. At the time, I was also making scented candles and I noticed that my leftover wax scented the room even while cold. Fast forward a few experiments and here we are.
We spray our perfume bottles down to the last drop and burn our candles until they finish. My pieces are everlasting. Their diffusion may change over time but the smell will always be there every time you come close to them. Also, as some perfumery ingredients are ridiculously expensive, rare and precious, there is less guilt with using them in this way, as you’ve certainty in knowing that the scent will be available to enjoy over and over again.
Wow - that’s quite a story! I’m loving the thought you’ve put into your work. How is your art received? What are some of the typical things that people say about it?
I love hearing people’s reaction when I tell them that my art is fragrant. They’re always curious to test it out and end up getting their nose deep in the pieces. Then their eyes shine in disbelief and I get the fun question of how I did this and how long it lasts.
The best part though, during art fairs, is when they leave my studio - many continue smelling other artists' pieces in the hope of finding fragrance in theirs too.
How do you decide what pieces to create? Are your works mostly commissions? Talk me through the creative process
I started out over a year ago. I did a small collection to launch the idea of creating art from scented wax, but I got lots of interest for commissions. As these pieces are designed to be in your personal space visually and 'olfactively,' customers love the idea of customising the colours and scents.
The creative process begins with a consultation. I work with a client to write a brief or the story of a piece. We then discuss the scents we want to capture. I aim to get as much info on the aromas they like and the ones they dislike. From there, I begin working on a few trials and share samples of the scent, which, once approved, are mixed with a wax and hand poured to design the final piece of art.
Big question: what’s your most exciting commission to date and why?
Every commission is super exciting as I get to work with clients on bringing their personal memories to life through scent. I just finished a triptych which was lots of fun to work on. I’m currently working on my biggest board yet to date - it’s been six months in the making to get the scent right and I think we’re almost there to start the pouring.
If you could turn any fragrance into a piece of art, which fragrance would you choose and why?
Ganymede by Marc-Antoine Barrois. I would love to design a space-inspired board illustrating Ganymede: the biggest moon of Jupiter, with its super salty and mineral notes and lots of textured underground waves. I’m fascinated by all things space and this perfume for me is truly exceptional.
Well you’ve definitely sold me on your art! Let’s say I’m interested in buying a piece of your art. How can I make an enquiry?
The biggest challenge I find with clients is that many don’t know what they like and don’t like. I’m launching my scent consultations in 2023 which can help identify scent preference. From there it is easier for the client to describe their scented memory and I can help them bring it to life.
For more information on Mabelle’s art, including how to commission a piece of her work, visit her website: mabelleorama.com. Alternatively, you can hit her up on Instagram at @mabelle_orama.
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