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Life brings people together in very strange ways. Gail Adrian crossed my path
when she signed up for my newsletter - I had to see the site of someone with
"Fragranceur" in her sig line! Gail works with her clients on a one on one basis to create scents that reflect who they are. She has also created specialty
lines, including Astrological and Chakra based scents.
BC: Gail, you have a very eclectic background. Can you share a little of that with us? GA: Yes, I tend to be a bit all over the map. There is a consistent through line to me: I regard art as my spiritual path and pathway to mysticism. From earliest childhood I have felt drawn to the Mysteries. I have dedicated my life to the unseen, the subtle and am really only fulfilled when immersed in that paradigm. I began in art as a vocal musician and performed improvisational jazz for years. My musical education imbued in me, great respect for structure. By gaining a solid background in musical harmony, I was able to 'color outside the lines' with tone in order to frame silence. I have always told my friends "Everything I've learned in life, I learned through haircolor" Whatever discipline I was lacking after my career as a performance artist was filled in by learning the art of haircolor. Actively working with color theory forced me to discipline myself in organized creativity. I also learned how essential relationship is in any creative endeavor. Constantly working with a multiplicity of people, each one sharing their life story and expecting me to match their aesthetics contributed tremendously to both my work in a technical milieu as well as opening up my heart to the rich diversity of the human experience. The nobility of the human experience never ceases to inspire me. Of course, the whole time I was working in the world, I was studying the innerworlds; Astrology, Numerology, Tarot, Eastern Spirituality etc. This inner grounding is my home base. BC: How did you become interested in working with fragrance? GA: In the late 60's I hitchhiked along the West Coast stopping to camp all along the way. This was during the time that Patchouly had become ubiquitous. I was seduced and addicted to its fragrance. One day, I was bathing in the Navarro River in the Redwoods, just out of Mendocino, California. A young woman next to me was wearing "That scent" as I had come to call it in my mind. I asked her what that perfume was and, as she reverently inhaled, she whispered: "Patchouly" "Patchouly" I repeated with equal awe. From that point on, It became my mission to obtain a patchouly oil with the distinctly complex and subtle quality this particular woman's evinced. I realize now, this was my first perfume course. In becoming educated in the diversity of a single natural ingredient, I learned much about the unique relationship between natural perfume materials and each individual who wears them; Which skins pick up the base notes, which pick up the lighter, sharper topnotes, What is the longevity of a material as well as becoming introduced to the complexity of tone in perfume. Then, in the very early 70's, I had friends who visited India every year. During their trips, knowing how much I adored botanical scents, they would visit a rose farm and bring me back tiny glass vials of "Rose Attar" These particular attars (An attar is a botanical distillation marinated in pure Sandalwood) were incomperable for their longevity, sweetness without cloy, and contained a breathtaking dryout While I was still quite naive, I instinctively recognized the creamy sensuality of the dryout (The final lingering note of a perfume) as the interaction between Rose and Sandalwood. Unfortunately, after several years, the rose farm closed. Thus began my quest for an attar that would lend this same exquisite honeyed creaminess to my skin. I began what was to become an extensive collection of different Roses and Sandalwoods in my quest to duplicate this same aroma. I never succeeded in replicating my original bottles of rose attar but I did learn volumes in my search which was perhaps, more important. I found working with perfume to be the same as improvising music, as well as building haircolor. All are built upon chords, use tone, hue, and value, and depend upon differing levels of perception. Music is most beautiful when built upon varying levels of pitch, and dynamics of volume. The most gorgeous haircolor depends upon masterful use of the basic colors and builds from there to reflect light. Perfume is successful when it integrates the complex chordal harmonies of scent with each material's natural evaporative rate. BC: I am totally enamored with the "Notes From a Perfumer's Journal" section on your site. You talk about the creative process of working with fragrance, and connect it very closely with the world of alchemical transformation. What brought about this connection for you? GA: The Alchemists were singularly focused on the constant breaking down and subsequent re-configuring of matter in order to remove the obsolete and arrive at purer version of matter or consciousness. They did this in pursuit of "The Philosopher's Stone", a panacea for every ailment known to man. While pursuing this goal,they found themselves evolving inwardly as their outer work became more refined. The science of alchemy became a process of spiritual purification. Since my life is dedicated to removing everything I can within myself that interferes with connection to Source, I was drawn to the philosophy of alchemy. Ever beautiful are the experiments in the alchemist's laboratory that are dedicated to distillation and evaporation. The alchemists were dedicated to understanding the nature of matter itself. In order to construct a transformative perfume, it is essential to be intimately acquainted with the prima materia of one's art as well as the transformative processes that provide the basis for a successful perfume composition: Evaporation, congruent materials, lifespan of one's ingredients and a host of other technical areas. Alchemy has so many beautiful maxims that directly relate to perfumery: My favorite happens to be Solve et Coagula which means dissolve and coagulate. The life of a perfume is expressed in an evaporative evolution, by dissolving into the ether, underlying materials of denser weight are revealed thus illustrating the constant micro life of scent with expression, dissolution, and reconfiguration. BC: At one point in your journal, you note than in esoteric perfumery you are accessing your own inner knowledge. How does this work for you? GA: I call myself a Spiritual Perfumer. By that, I mean that my work with perfume allows me to become still. From this quietness, my work can evolve naturally and I can access intuitive direction with more facility. Also, I wish to offer my work as a way for others to access their own spaces and places of greater consciousness and understanding. BC: I do wish that I lived in your area! (Gail and I live on opposite coasts.) GA: Ditto that Bonnie! BC: I note on your site that you host workshops related to perfumery, and that you do New Moon and Full Moon workshops on a continuing basis. Can you tell us a little bit about relating the energies of a specific moon cycle to scent? GA: I wanted to create scents that relate to the traditional astrological correspondencesof herbalism referencing Dioscorides, Culpepper, William Lilly, Al Biruni and all the other masters of traditional metaphysics. The correspondences listed by these learned masters have withstood time with their universal applications. I was invited to lead an informal moon circle at a local bookstore here in Bergen County New Jersey. This created the opportunity every month to blend a set of complimentary lunar anointing oils. I deliberately create traditional corresponding oils that are harmonic and affordable. They are not meant to be complex perfumes, rather an example of ancient astrological herbalism utilizing appropriate astro-herbal correspondences. I present these blends at our monthly group which has become a circle of friends now! We discuss the blends and how best to utilize them in anointing rituals. It is great fun and everyone contributes with experiences, stories, and lessons from their own lives. My workshops are different in that they are seminars that deal with the technical aspects of perfumery: I love to talk about the conceptual inspiration for perfume but I find that people are most hungry for more technical information so my initial classes deal with the mundane aspects of natural perfumery: The vocabulary of perfume, its materials, and the structure and composition involved in creating a natural perfume. BC: Can you tell us a little about two of your lines that truly fascinate me - the Astrological and the Chakra lines? GA: My chakra series is totally oil based. It is also the only line in which I continue to use Sandalwood Oil, a material that sadly has come to be riddled with violence and the desecration of the Sandalwood Forests of India. I begin with a jojoba base of Sandalwood and other rarified essences to represent the Sushumna, the main spinal column that supports each of the physical chakras. This blend is used as the base for all the seven chakras. I added to this shared base, multi-tiered compositions of scent that specifically relate to each of the different chakras. For example, in the base chakra, I use grounding notes that include Cypress and Vetivert. The second chakra contains essences relating to creativity as well as fecund notes that include seaweed and Ambrette, or Musk Seed. The third chakra utilizes assimilative ingredients such as Cardamom,and lemon. The fourth chakra includes precious notes of Roses and Jasmine. The fifth chakra, as a representative of speaking ones truth with compassion includes Lavender and a lovely material called Zdravetz which means 'ease' in Rumanian. The sixth chakra includes Frankincense and Tuberose. The seventh chakra has lofty notes of Spikenard and Angelica. I added to this collection, a vial of pure undiluted Sandalwood with infused Agarwood because I perceive the chakras to be infinite and by virtue of the refinement of those materials, I sense a resonance with infinite space. As far as my astrological work, I offer a custom service based upon the client's astrological chart. The basic service incorporates the Sun, Moon and Ascendant into an aromatic composition and after constructing this basic theme, I then include any obvious zodiacal influences as they would be expressed in scent. This astrological perfume is a simplified version of my more expanded custom work. I created my StarScent© in this pure, less time consuming format in order to provide Spiritual Perfumery to my clients that didn't have the time or budget for a full-out custom commission. BC: What lead you to the creation of a Tarot line, and to the inclusion of Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, and Court Cards in this line? GA: I was called to do so. When my voices speak, I listen. BC: How do you choose which cards you will be working with - or do they choose themselves? GA: Yes, they choose themselves. I shuffle shuffle, shuffle and then shuffle some more until one (sometimes two or three) card(s) removes itself from the deck. It never fails. Either a card literally turns itself over in my hand, or falls out of the deck. I don't second guess, I just put it up in my studio contemplate the card, then, with my left hand, which is my non-dominant hand, I write about it until I am done. After that, time permitting, I create an aromatic composition to complete the process on that day. BC: In your newsletter, each Tarot card has a message, as well as the ingredients for that specific perfume. Through what process did the messages and ingredients come to you? GA: Through this journaling technique, I find that the message emerges effortlessly. I have to say, using my non-dominant hand really opens up more subtle channels of perception and it's really fun training myself to use this unpracticed hand for small motor activities. BC: Gail, along with creating perfumes, you also offer three very specialized services: Reintegration Energy Sessions, Hair Design and Cosmetology, and Herbal and Aroma Therapy. How does all of this work together? GA: Everything is everything. I am in this world to be an artist and provide service. In order to do this, I need to be able to reach as wide a range of clientele as possible. Through diversity I can meet more peoples' needs. In this way I remain true to my path: To attend to the Mysteries and to be of service. BC: I am very impressed with the work that you are doing - the work with fragrance, and the melding of all of your skills and abilities to help women (GA: And men) lead better lives. Do you have any last words about fragrance as it relates specifically to Astrology, the Chakras and Tarot? GA: Perfume comes from the phrase Per Fumum which means Through Smoke The ancient perfumers were highly regarded priests and only later, Priest Kings. Perfume was a medium through which one gained access to the Deities. Astrology, Metaphysics and Tarot are also means with which we communicate with the timeless forces that guide our lives. By practicing conscious scent, we gain access to these divine realms. BC: I want to thank Gail for sharing her time, her energy, and her thoughts. Along with her Astrology and Chakra fragrance lines, the Arcana perfume line represents powerful energies, far beyond the conscious act of wearing fragrance. GA: And I want to thank YOU Bonnie, for your interest and desire to share with your readers Truth. The wealth you bring to your readers is the kind of richness that we DO take with us when we leave this earth. More information on Gail's work can be found on her site, www.gailadrian.com. Gail can be contacted personally at: gail@gailadrian.com.
Gail Adrian's Bio: I was born and raised along the wild ravines of Lake Michigan where I was introduced to the woods by my scout leaders and various naturalists who took note of my ability to apprehend things others walked by. I was trained as an improvisational singer and toured the country with various bands and touring companies for several years before settling in NYC. I am a licensed cosmetologist in NY and NJ and have a degree in aromatherapy from the now defunct Institute of Aromatherapy. In addition to Perpetual and Ongoing Self-Study in Perfumery, Metaphysics and Energy Work: I studied botanical perfume by mentorship with Christine Malcolm, a perfume master. I also studied with Kathryn DeGraff. I have taken various Tarot teleclasses with Walt and Ruth Ann Amberstone, Astrology with Wendy Ashley, mythic astrologer, Energy work, Crystal work, and Intuitive development with Mala Pelow who also initiated me in Reiki I and II.
Bonnie Cehovet
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