Smells Like: Caroline Newton
Smells Like: is an exploration of the human experience of scent through personal stories and connections.
For our eighth installment in the series, design director and performance artist Caroline Newton shares the colors that fill her life, the evocative power of smoke, and some cat love.
Tell me about yourself and your work:
I am a graphic designer and artist. I currently am the Design Director at Bon Appetit at Conde Nast. Prior to this, I was the AD at T Magazine. I am also a performance artist with a practice that is much more personal than public. This work centers around the body and the relationship it has to certain spaces. I am a lover of colors, dancing, animals (cat mom), food and travel. Life is about living!
What scents are you encountering today?
Florals. Florals. Florals. Not only am I currently drinking an orange blossom tea, but also it is the first sunny warm (ish) day of spring and I just took a walk around my neighborhood, which has (all of a sudden it seems) erupted with spring blooms (cherry blossoms, tulips, etc).
Do you have a signature scent? If so, what is it?
I love a smokey scent. For example, in the summer if I am ever near a campfire, I LOVE when that smell gets into my hair. Most people hate that because it sticks but it feels so comforting to have that smell stay with me. Sometimes I won't wash those clothes for days because of it. I also love smokey drinks (think: mezcal) so there could be something there too. Another scent that I LOVE and tend to wear is ylang ylang. My current partner gifted me a ylang ylang oil right before one of our first trips together (Mexico City). I wore it that whole vacation and now I can't help but to associate that smell to our time there. I put it on my neck now on a random day in NYC and my mind immediately goes to that time in Mexico.
Describe yourself as a place:
Oh. Well. this is a hard question. Hmmmmmm. I don't think I can tie myself to a physical specific location—if I had to it would probably be something more vague, like … being a cloud in the sky haha.
As a taste:
Spicy and sweet all at once baby!
As a color:
Oof, also hard. I love colors so much and each day I have a new favorite one. Most people associate me with pastels but lately, I've been leaning into very primary, bright colors (think, cobalt blue or hot pink).
As an emotion or feeling:
BLISSY BB
What's the last thing that brought you joy?
My cat is currently sitting on my lap purring deeply :) It’s the little things in life.
Explore more of Caroline and her work at @caronewt.