Delaney Martin Sylva Pagana natural perfumes

Profile:I grew up between fields of farmland and the Cross Timbers of rural Oklahoma, and I still live on the same property where I grew up.  Raised within the forest, I was always drawn to the beauty and magic of Nature.  There are spirits in the woods, in each tree, and every plant, and I would find myself wandering on and off the trails behind our house.  My spirit grew with the seasons, and I became more and more connected to the Earth around me.  I found my spirituality tied to the world around me, and I wanted to express that through art.

Delaney dressed for a Renaissance Fair

My parents were artists, and I grew up travelling with them to their shows around the country.  Surrounded by artists of all kinds, I experimented with painting and drawing, sculpture, and photography early on.  I focused on writing and photography, but I was always looking for something new to try.  I visited my first Renaissance Festival when I was in junior high, and I kept looking for a way to become a part of it ever since.  I loved the blending of old and new, history and fantasy, and it seemed a perfect outlet for my creativity.

Scent as an art never occurred to me, and I first came to natural aromatics in a spiritual context.  Every drop of essential oil contained the living soul of Nature, and I blended for awareness, purification, and ritual.  I soon found that these scents didn't trigger headaches, sinus, or respiratory issues like my collection of store-bought perfumes and body products, and I expanded my use to include scents for personal use. I experimented with fragrances and remedies, always in awe of how powerful these tiny drops could be. My first blends, created during my teenage years, were… interesting at best.  But I kept researching, and I had success with oils therapeutically.  Easily distracted, my focus drifted back to writing and photography, but I kept using oils for remedies and ritual.  It wasn't until about five years ago that I began to re-visit fragrance, curious about the sense I had overlooked so long ago.

I was amazed by how powerful scent could be.  It ties us to our animal nature and reminds us that we are part of the Earth.  It can trigger a long-lost memory, and I've seen grown men moved to tears at the scent of tobacco that reminds them of their grandfather.  Fragrance envelopes us, transporting us out of the mundane world, uplifting our moods, and heightening our awareness.  It is a powerful force that is too often overlooked.  I delved into fragrance and instantly found myself addicted.  It was like seeing with new eyes, and I quickly started collecting oils and resins, mesmerized by the subtle qualities of each one.  I had a new appreciation for fragrance, and I approached scent-blending as the art form it truly is.  That was what changed everything.  I saw the notes as color and light, blending into both subtle shades and bold, new hues.  It evolved slowly, learning as I went, reading everything I could find from the modern chemistry to historical and spiritual uses of scent.

Delaney and her husband setting up at a Fair

I've been enamored of history and fantasy since childhood, and I've always blended them into my work.  Being an independent perfumer, I feel like I can live out my own fantasies, finally able to use different art forms together.  I grew up dreaming of running away with the gypsies, creating potions, and telling fortunes.  While I may not have my own vardo (yet), I've found the next best thing at the Renaissance Faire.  My husband and I have always loved faire, and getting to be a part of it was a dream come true.  Now we spend over half the year dressed in garb, travelling and creating, growing and developing as Sylva Pagana. Since my beloved forest has been my greatest inspiration, with my first perfume I set out to create something that invoked the deepest, darkest parts   of the forest, the wild virility of Nature, and the untamed spirit in all of us.

The result was Satyr, and I was amazed at how the blended oils could transport me to another time and place.  I was no longer in my kitchen, but in a secret part of the woods even I'd never seen.  With just a whiff, I felt a long-lost sense coming back, and I felt more connected to Nature than ever before.  I went on to create new blends, interested in going from concept to creation as with sculpture or photography.  Natural perfumery has become my way of honoring what I find sacred, expressing concepts in a different way, and challenging the idea what art can be.

As a business, we started slowly, growing out of a personal passion for art and scent.  The name Sylva Pagana comes from the Latin for "woodland country-dweller", and it seems to suit us as we create in our little house in the woods.  I've been inspired my so many artists along the way that its too difficult to name any in particular.  The friends I've made at Renaissance Faires and art shows have inspired me the most.  They prove that inspiration and creativity can be combined with hard work and a little luck to fulfill a dream.  They've shown me that one's passion can leave the confines of the studio and seep into every part of your life.

Delaney Martin blending natural oils and essences

On American Perfumery: I feel like there is no limit, no boundaries, and I can take my art and my business as far as I want.  There is a wild spirit to America, and I think natural perfumery captures that perfectly.

Creator of the Muppets Jim Henson poses in his 69th Street office in New York City on Dec. 30, 1985.  (AP Photo/Burnett)

Favorite American artist:  Jim Henson created entire worlds that still inspire me to this day

Delaney Martin, Founder and Perfumer for Sylva Pagana

Thanks to Delaney we have reader's choice of  10mL of Ancient Oak OR 10mL of The Captain's Blend or 10 ml Damsel  or 10 ml of Sunshine Cologne  for a registered USA reader. To be eligible please elave a comment with what you found fascinating about Delaney, and your choice of perfume. If you want your comment to count twice, please LIKE CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery on Facebook . Draw ends June 9, 2015

Editor’s Note: Thank you Einsof for bringing Delaney to us, we are honored to introduce her to our readers.

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume