Joe Vega has been dedicated to the practice of olfactory art since the age of 17, when he began blending essential oils sourced from New Age bookstores and health food stores. A self-taught painter, he exhibited his visual work in multiple shows during his twenties. Around this time, he also began exploring French-style perfumery, gradually shifting his artistic focus from the visual to the olfactory, though he never fully set aside the brush.
In 2017, he undertook formal training in traditional perfumery, complementing structured instruction with self-directed research, hands-on experimentation, and iterative learning. Each success not only refined his technical skills but also deepened his artistic confidence.
For Vega, olfactory art is intrinsically tied to memory, spanning all stages of life. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Central Florida in 2006, concentrating on Western philosophy and linguistics. Over time, he developed a profound appreciation for Arabic and traditional scent profiles, drawn to their unapologetic boldness and evocative power.
Today, Vega continues to explore the interplay between memory and nature, using scent as a medium to navigate personal history and the sensory richness of the natural world.