Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz is a true underground force in niche perfumery and olfactory art, and is a pioneer of the American independent perfumery movement.
Now based in Boulder, Colorado, Dawn grew up in Upstate New York and received her BFA from Boston University College of Fine Arts. Beginning her career as a painter, Dawn came to perfumery in 1991. As a synesthete, Dawn developed her talent for creating perfumes based on fine art principles, and since the early nineties, has been developing innovative lines of ready-to-wear artisan perfumes under her own label, DSH Perfumes, as well as consulting for numerous niche and artisan brands.
As an olfactory artist DSH has had multiple one-person and group shows of multi-sensory art (paintings with olfactory art in conversation) in the US; including “Quintessence”, at Naropa University. Dawn often collaborates with art institutions such as Denver Art Museum, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, The Dairy Center for the Arts, the Kirkland Museum, and other galleries. Dawn's perfumery work has been a multiple year finalist for the Artisan Art and Olfaction Award, while her "Colorado" won an Independent Art and Olfaction Award in 2019, and her series "CHROMA : a synesthetic experience of color as scent" was a finalist for the Sadakichi Award for experimental scent in art practice.
You can view Dawn’s TEDx talk “What Do You Want Your Life To Smell Like?” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsDsUaIU81M