Saturday Program
10:30 am – Doors open; Art Souq and exhibition viewing throughout
11 am – Panel I Sustainability in Coffee & Cuisine | The Mohka Institute, Graham Auman Pitts, Antonio Tahhan
1:15 pm – Panel II IMPART Artist Grant Winners | Nia Alexander Campbell, Patricia Daher
2:30 pm – Panel III Sustainability in Fragrance, in partnership with the Institute for Art & Olfaction | Hana Tisserand, Mauricio Garcia, Michael Nordstrand, Rubia Chaudri (moderator)
“Mokhtar Alkhanshali, our Founder and President, is a coffee historian, entrepreneur, and innovator. He is the protagonist of the New York Times bestseller “The Monk of Mokha” by Dave Eggers. He’s also the CEO of Port of Mokha coffee. His work with Yemeni coffee has been described as the spark that has ignited the Yemeni coffee revolution.”
Mokhtar Akkhanshali
The Mokha Institute
“Graham Auman Pitts is a historian of food and famine. His work focuses in particular on war and the environment in modern Lebanon. Graham recently co-edited a volume on foodways in the Eastern Mediterranean: Making Levantine Cuisine (UT Press, 2022). He teaches history and international studies at the University of Mississippi. ”
Graham Auman Pitts
“Antonio Tahhan is a writer and researcher interested in the intersection of food, culture, migration, and identity. Born in Venezuela to a Syrian family from Aleppo and growing up in Miami, Antonio draws inspiration from a variety of cultures. In 2010, Antonio was awarded a Fulbright research grant to study traditional food practices in Syria. His most recent research includes the politics of sourdough fermentation during lockdown, clay pot yogurt as a vessel for communal practices, and molokhia as a lens for national identities. He has contributed to two edited volumes: Making Levantine Cuisine (UT Press, 2022) and Resilient Kitchens (Rutgers University Press, 2023). Antonio holds a master’s degree from the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University. ”
Antonio Tahhan
“Patricia Daher is an American-Lebanese multidisciplinary artist, poet, and environmental activist based in New York. She received a Bachelor's degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Painting and Near-Eastern Religions along with two minors in Art History and Mathematics from Hunter College, NY. Her Master’s degree is in Art Market Studies from the Fashion Institute of Technology, NY. Daher started her career as a Mathematics Educator who contributed to the academic success of hundreds of students to then take a different path as a Visual Artist who produces autobiographical paintings, drawings, collages, and relational aesthetic performances that encourage dialogue and promote a change in perspective. Her many interests which include world cultures and religions, mythology, science, archeology, nutrition, sustainability, and alternative healing methods inform the themes she explores in her work. Having experienced war in 2006, she chooses to go beyond and create vibrant worlds that explore cultural histories and concepts promoting peace and balance in society and with nature. Daher’s work has been exhibited at various galleries in New York, of which NeueHouse and Biggercode Gallery. She is the recipient of the Wave Scholarship, Catalyst scholarship award, and the IMPART Grant Award. Her work has been published in Hyperallergic, and books such as Drawing with Dynamic Perspective by Meryl Rosner.”
Patricia Daher
“Nia Alexander Campbell is an artist and writer from Richmond, Virginia. She received a BFA in Painting & Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University with a minor in Art History and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Design from VCUarts Qatar. Nia's creative practice explores the ways collage, writing, and traditional & digital painting mediums can be used to tell stories through design. She believes that storytelling in any medium can function as an excellent way to combat ignorance, give a voice to the otherwise unheard, and bridge the divides we see in our world today. Her subject matter explores themes of the history, mental health, and the experiences of underrepresented groups of people. She often draws inspiration from her experiences as an African American woman raised in the U.S. and her numerous experiences abroad. In both her visual and written work, Nia is passionate about inclusion and sharing the experiences of marginalized communities. Nia seeks to use her passion for visual art & design, writing, and social awareness to reach the younger generation, those who will grow to become future decision makers. ”
Nia Alexander Campbell
“A lifelong fragrance enthusiast, Rubia enjoyed discovering and learning about fragrances at a young age. The first recollection of exploring scent, started at her mother’s dresser, containing a mix of designer fragrance brands from Europe to hand made ones from South Asia and other parts of the world. In 2016, Rubia was invited to explore LA and the idea of potentially moving there. During her visit, she signed up for her first fragrance making workshop being offered at the Institute for Art and Olfaction (IAO). It was love at first ‘sniff’ and a major deciding factor to move to LA, kickstarting her formal fragrance education. With her fragrance making skills and experience gained at the IAO, Rubia is now an independent perfumer who makes bespoke fragrances upon request. Rubia was recently appointed Board Member at the IAO as well, where she participates in program development and helps prepare for the yearly IAO fragrance awards. ”
Rubia Chaudri
Institute for Art & Olfaction
“Michael Nordstrand is an innovative perfumer, teacher and multidisciplinary artist who began his career in Creative Direction for Fashion & Beauty. His fragrance education, initially undertaken in 2010, includes extensive training, notably with Givaudan, Cinquième Sens, ISIPCA, and, most recently, The Grasse Institute of Perfumery. He has worked with brands like Jo Malone, Tom Ford, and others that are forthcoming, including his own brand, Mythologist. His unique approach to fragrance is informed by boundless curiosity and a love of history, nature, science & the arts. With a deep respect for raw materials and the stories they can tell, Michael approaches each project with an inquisitive and open mind, applying his knowledge to solve problems creatively, producing elegant solutions that satisfy client expectations. ”
Michael Ælfric Nordstrand
Mythologist
“Hana is the co-founder and director of operations and communications at the Tisserand Institute, the global leader in evidence-based essential oil education. She oversees the creation of course content and curricula, moderates live webinars and teaches her own introductory classes. She has a unique perspective on how information about essential oils is sourced, processed and communicated, stemming from her past experience. She was born in Prague, Czechia, and now lives in Southern California, and brings a strong background in French and English translation and interpretation that’s proven essential for the Tisserand Institute’s global student base. She has been working at the Tisserand Institute for eight years, but her love for science, essential oils, perfumes and fragrances runs even deeper, as does her appreciation for fine teas and coffee.”
Hana Tisserand
The Tisserand Institute
“Mauricio Garcia is a perfumer and certified aromatherapist whose fascination with the botanical world began in his abuelita’s small garden in foggy South San Francisco. Through Herbcraft Perfumery, Mauricio teaches classes and workshops on aromatherapy and perfumery with an emphasis on sustainability, as well as formulates bespoke products and fragrances for individuals and indie brands. Mauricio is also a founding team member of the Ministry of Scent. Each Herbcraft Perfumery fragrance captures the essence of a particular spirit of situation or space using botanical essences and professional fragrance materials, along with traditional, inventive and esoteric perfumery techniques. ”
Mauricio Garcia
Coalition of Sustainable Perfumery
“Founded in September 2012 in Los Angeles, The Institute for Art and Olfaction is a 501(c)3 non-profit devoted to advancing public access to the practice of working with scent. We do this by initiating and supporting experimental projects with scent, by providing accessible education in our laboratory as well as in partnership with institutions and community groups, by curating art exhibitions that incorporate scent in our gallery, and by raising visibility for independent, artisan and experimental and artistic practices with scent as a whole. Through these efforts, we extend the world of scent beyond its traditional boundaries of appreciation and use.”
The Institute for Art & Olfaction