Balancing Act: Grave Matters (in person)

Daniel Krasofski presents Balancing Act: Grave Matters an interpretive class exploring a Jean Carles approach to perfume composition by making one strange scent worthy of the Halloween season.

This Halloween-season edition of Balancing Act invites participants to create a perfume around one unusual and evocative idea: dirt - which is more atmospheric than traditionally “pretty.” Following the familiar Balancing Act format, we will work through a softened, interpretive approach to the Jean Carles method, using proportion, comparison, and repeated trials to understand how a composition takes shape. Rather than trying to make every spooky scent at once, a reliable way to summon chaos, we will focus deeply on one accord and observe how individual materials affect its texture, balance, mood, and recognizability. We will explore how an earthy, metallic, mineral, animalic, or decaying impression can become compelling, nuanced, and perhaps even unexpectedly beautiful. Participants will leave with a structured set of trials and an original fragrance sketch: proof that sometimes the monster under the bed simply needs better proportions.

Topics covered:

• An interpretive approach to Jean Carles-inspired perfume composition
• Building and refining one unusual scent accord
• Using proportion and comparative trials to guide formulation decisions
• Working with materials that suggest earth, dirt, blood, decay, minerals, and other uncanny effects
• Balancing realism, abstraction, intensity, texture, and emotional atmosphere
• Recording formula changes and evaluating their effects on the developing scent

Take-Aways:

• A practical process for creating and refining a perfume accord
• Hands-on experience with structured comparative blending
• A set of formula trials documenting the development of one unusual scent
• An original fragrance sketch based on the selected class concept
• Greater confidence using contrast and proportion to create atmospheric perfume compositions

Safety Note:

Some aromatic materials can have side effects when applied to skin. The information and teaching materials presented in our classes are for educational purposes only. These are not intended for commercial use and do not necessarily reflect commercial best practices or industry safety standards. For more information about commercial best practices and safety, consult the relevant authorities in your country of residence.

Attendance and Refund Policy: This is an in person class that will take place at the Institute for Art and Olfaction. Cancellation with refund made 1 week or more (7 days) before the scheduled session will be honored unless materials or formulas have been shared in advance. Refunds requested 1 week or less before the class starts, on the day of the class or after the class has happened will not be granted. Please note our cancellation policy, listed here and on the registration/ticketing page: https://artandolfaction.com/educationatiao/cancellation-policy/

This Workshop is Good for: advanced beginners, intermediate

On Safety: Some aromatic materials can have side-effects when applied to skin. The information and teaching materials presented in our classes are for educational purposes only. These are not intended for commercial use and do not necessarily reflect commercial best practices or industry safety standards. For more information about commercial best practices and safety, consult the relevant authorities in your country of residence.

Registration Required: Please note that you must reserve your space in advance. If you just show up without reserving a spot, there is no guarantee we will be able to accommodate you. Space at this event is limited. All levels are welcome, but this session is 18 and up (or 14+, with adult supervision).

LOCATION

Location: We are located in Los Angeles’ historic Chinatown neighborhood, on a pedestrian street that also hosts galleries, souvenir shops, production companies, design studios, and two very cool parrots.

Street Address: 932 Chung King Road Los Angeles CA. 90012 (213) 616-1744 hello@artandolfaction.com

To find us: Chung King Road is a pedestrian-only road that runs parallel to Hill Street, between Hill St and Yale St. See more information here: http://artandolfaction.com/visit

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Daniel Krasofski is a Los Angeles–based artist and perfumer whose multidisciplinary practice explores memory, ritual, and the transformative power of scent.

Trained in both the visual and olfactory arts, Krasofski teaches at the Institute for Art and Olfaction and has shared his approach to perfume education in academic and international settings, including the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.

Krasofski began his involvement in the IAO in 2013, when he came as a volunteer to help set up the very first space in downtown Los Angeles. Since then, he has served as a board member, educator, and overall friend to the organization. In 2020, he took on the role of lab manager, stepping in with his characteristic organizational prowess to formalize the IAO’s complicated systems, while also overseeing the formation of the IAO Library, including logging more than a thousand perfumes donated by Conor McTeague.

His research bridges history, material culture, and the emotive language of aromatic compounds. Working closely with private clients to create bespoke olfactory compositions, Krasofski’s work often combines traditional craft materials—such as leather, metal, and plant essences—with contemporary inquiries into literature, healing, and the unseen narratives that scent evokes.

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Image credits: Photo by Indah Datau.

Gravestones: Scott Rodgerson for Unsplash