This Woman-Owned Candle Line Matches Scents to Artworks

Though “smellovision” has not yet become a reality, one candle company is doing its part to pair sight and smell together. Artistscent, a woman-owned company based in New Jersey, matches fragrance with an artist’s artwork to give art and candle enthusiasts alike a deeper viewing (and smelling!) experience.

Founder Natalie Kuhles, who spent four decades in the fragrance industry, wanted to explore the idea of scent from an artist’s perspective after purchasing an original piece by Ohio-based artist Ursula Brenner. “Our candles are a multisensory experience,” Kuhles said in a statement. “When you purchase a candle, you are collecting a one-of-a-kind aesthetic and olfactory piece of art.”

When Artistscent partners with an artist, they first decide which artworks will be translated into candle form, then the fragrance creation process begins. The chosen artworks are then printed directly onto reusable glass vessels using organic ink and each candle is hand-poured with a 55+ hour burn time.

Since its launch in 2020, Artistscent has released two collections — one with Elizabeth Karlson and one with Ronnie Queenan.

Each full-size candle comes with a blurb about the artwork from the artist themselves, explaining their inspiration behind the piece.

For example, Queenan’s “City Scape” was inspired by the artist’s drives through West Texas. “I was able to see a city scape from a long distance,” Queenan’s statement reads. “Driving during the spring, there are wildflowers galore. I can imagine the smell was like a bouquet of fresh flowers.”

The City Scape candle has notes of wildflowers, meadowgrass, and warm wood to reflect the backstory behind this piece.

Artistscent also has a mini candle sample flight available, so you can get a whiff of what the brand has to offer before grabbing a full-size tumbler.