Honouring Ane Walsh: At the Heart of Natural Perfumery
She asked for nothing, gave everything, and helped build the foundation we all stand on.
Today I want to celebrate someone who’s been part of the Natural Perfume Academy since before it even existed — the ever-generous, deeply committed, and wildly talented Ane Walsh
Before the Academy, there was Nature’s Nexus — a small online community I created after the Yahoo perfume groups began to fade out. Ane Walsh was one of the founder members, and from those early exchanges, something lasting was born.
Back then, 2007-2008, I was just starting to find my feet in online platforms. We had a forum, it was built on phpBB, that eventually got hacked — it was built on an old version of WordPress, and I didn’t know much about backups or data protection. We lost a lot, but not each other. Ane stuck with me.
When Justine Crane approached me about hosting a course she had written, I set up the original Natural Perfume Academy on my website, naturesnexus.org/nnapa, under the name Nature’s Nexus Academy of Perfuming Arts. Shortly after, I made the decision to move the course to a Moodle platform and pilot it as a formal learning environment — that shift marked the true beginning of what would become the Natural Perfume Academy. And right there, from day one, Ane was part of it. She took the pilot course, gave feedback, and when it was done, she offered — entirely voluntarily — to translate the entire course into Portuguese.
She wasn’t paid. She didn’t ask for anything. She just believed in it.
That pilot version eventually became the first Portuguese edition of the Diploma course. We ran it, we refined it, Ane came back countless times where she had to translate new versions of the same material and Ane helped to build a student base in Brazil and beyond. And it’s all thanks to Ane’s willingness to roll up her sleeves and translate not just the words, but the spirit of the Academy.
Later, Ane translated two of Justine Crane’s books — Working the Bench 1 and Working the Bench 2 — into Portuguese. Laszlo Books beautifully republished the translated texts as a single volume, complete with stunning photography and a new title: Livro Perfumaria Botânica Para O Perfumista. To my delight, the Natural Perfume Academy logo was gold-embossed on the back cover — a gesture that meant a lot to me. It was a moment of pride to see the Academy represented in such a beautifully produced edition.
Over the years, Ane has continued to give — not just her time and skills, but her whole heart.
She teaches. She mentors. She connects with students personally through WhatsApp, through hours of live video, through small book circles where she reads aloud and discusses translated texts. One such example is the G.W. Septimus Piesse book on Perfumery she translated — and then created live readings for. Who else would do that?
She prints and mails out certificates. That, I knew. But what I didn’t know — until very recently — is that she also includes perfume blotters, scent holders, bottle-top tools, and little touches she pays for herself, expecting nothing in return.
All these years she’s been giving these thoughtful, physical extras to students, out of her own pocket. Not because she was asked to — but because she cares. And I didn’t even know until recently. That absolutely floored me.
And let’s talk about who she brings in. I don’t even like the word recruit — it feels wrong for what she does. She doesn’t "recruit" students — she draws in truly extraordinary human beings. People who are serious about learning, about creating, about becoming part of a larger tradition of natural perfumery. Because of Ane, I’ve met some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known — including Juliana Cruz of Arque Cosmetica, who I now work with closely on translations, new course development, and outreach.
Ane has always taken initiative. She runs her own Facebook groups, she posts about the Academy on her pages, she shares our links, our YouTube videos, our updates — without being asked. She’s even upgraded her tech to keep up with everything. She is, in every sense of the word, a pillar.
Not long ago, she mailed me a copy of the book she wrote and published with Lazlo. Not once, but twice — because the first one got returned. She didn’t ask for anything. Just sent it again, with the help of a friend this time, with the Academy logo printed on the back. That’s who she is.
We once named her Ambassador to the Natural Perfume Academy in Brazil — and that’s not just a title. It’s a truth.
She represents the best of what we stand for: integrity, generosity, curiosity, and the deep belief that perfume — real perfume — is something worth sharing and teaching and preserving.
So today, this post is for her. It’s not enough — no post could be — but it’s something. I want people to know what she’s done. I want people to see what one person can do, year after year, with love and conviction.
Thank you, Ane Walsh. You are — and always have been — the heart of this Academy.
📖 Ane’s Book, Her Perfume, and Her Generosity in Action
Ane’s latest book is titled Notas Da Perfumista — published by Lazlo Books in Brazil and dedicated to the students of the Natural Perfume Academy, with the Academy logo embossed on the back in gold. It’s a beautiful, thoughtful work, full of heart, and she was kind enough to send me a physical copy all the way to Ireland — twice, when the first one got returned. She paid for the postage both times. That’s just who she is.
She also has a new perfume called Dabke, named after the traditional Palestinian dance. It’s a tribute to resilience and joy, and a subtle but powerful expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Ane doesn’t just talk — she creates. She takes a stand. She uplifts. She’s fearless and gentle at the same time.
If I could commission a statue for the Natural Perfume Academy’s future headquarters, I’d want it to be of Ane Walsh. I mean that. I see her in the entrance hall — a bronze figure near a gentle fountain, surrounded by symbols of the sea, her beloved dog, frogs, plants, and the laughter she inspires in everyone who meets her. Because when Ane enters a room, people smile. Her sense of humour is real, generous, and unforced. It heals.
More than anything, she embodies a state of mind — one of abundance, generosity, gratitude, and trust. And I want that to be the state of mind that defines our Academy too.
What I’ve Learned from Ane Walsh
Touching base with Salomón Murow recently reminded me of something that connects directly to Ane’s approach: these days, information is everywhere. You don’t need to go far to find it. You can think a thought and have the answer in seconds. So people aren’t paying for information anymore. What they want — what they need — is:
Connection
Community
Support
Validation
That’s why the Natural Perfume Academy exists. Not to hoard knowledge or gate-keep it, but to hold space — for growth, for curiosity, and for learning that’s alive.
That’s why people still join our courses, even if the same information was available for free elsewhere. Because it’s not just about the information — it’s about the journey, the feedback, the encouragement, the structure, the certification that shows you did the work, and the people who walk the path with you.
Ane understands this better than almost anyone. She's been with us for 17 years and still gets her hands dirty — quite literally. She's joined the new Scent Letters Club and has already sent out her first three handwritten letters to students.
Because she knows it matters.
Ane is down to earth. She’s present. That kind of leadership is rare.
Ane has taught us at NPA to have an abundance mindset. To choose generosity. To choose trust.
Because without those, this whole thing — natural perfumery, artistry, education — becomes just another closed door.
Ane Walsh doesn’t close doors. She opens them.
And I’ll continue being immensely grateful for that.
Beautiful. Ane is the best and her input is valuable.
What a beautiful tribute! I hope to meet Ann one day. ❤️ This post illustrates what I see as the heart of the Natural Perfume Academy and why it stands out to me. Their focus on taking care of people, building community, and making this world a better place by spreading love and fostering connection with our beloved Mother Earth is endlessly inspiring. Bravo!