Date: Thursday, June 17th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $5
Presented by Phantasmaphile

Tonight’s sensory presentation by Herbal Alchemy Apothecary’s Julianne Zaleta will examine the artisanal art of natural perfumery. Smell is the most neglected of our senses yet it has an instantaneous power to penetrate our consciousness invoking memories and emotion. Odors are ethereal and elusive yet can strongly attract or repel.

As a concerned consumer, you are choosing organic food, seeking out sustainable products and opting for eco-friendly packaging. But what about the fragrance you wear? That signature scent is likely composed of synthetic materials (as most commercial fragrances are), mass-produced, packaged and shipped around the world in the millions of units. Natural perfumery is a much different process that uses only essential oils and precious absolutes that are extracted from plants. Like fine wine, subtle differences can be found from the same plant from year to year depending on soil conditions and climate meaning that it is not an exact science but a creative alchemical process. Come spend an evening re-educating your nose and discovering the beautiful lost art of natural fragrance.

Bio: Growing up in her mother’s garden in the midwest, Julianne Zaleta was always gathering flowers, drying blossoms and conjuring scents. So it’s not surprising that she grew up to become a professional herbalist, aromatherapist, & perfumer. Sole proprieter of her own company, Herbal Alchemy Apothecary, for years she has handcrafted artisanal scents & potions from the purest elements of nature. Julianne trained with Michael Scholes & Jeanne Rose and is a certified aromatherapist as well as a licensed massage therapist and meditation teacher. Her products are handmade in her studio atelier in Brooklyn, NY.