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I am often asked “how did you get into henna?” While I have always been involved in some form of art, it wasn’t until my twenties that I started doodling very intricate patterns with a marked balance of negative space. I had a love for the aesthetics of Indian culture but didn’t realize to what extent its influence had made its way into my artwork. I just enjoyed drawing them as they were meditative to create.
In the mid-nineties, I chanced to live with a woman who resided in India for quite some time. She encouraged me to explore mehndi as she saw the connection in my artwork. But the spark didn’t really ignite until she invited me to do the henna for her wedding ceremony. This was flattering and a bit terrifying as I had yet to learn the art. I didn’t want to be responsible for something that would make her wedding day less than perfect. But she assured me that she would be OK with whatever happened. So, fortified by her confidence and the freedom to screw up, I bought a kit and a ready made tube of paste for back-up. With very little knowledge of what I was doing, I gave it my best shot. Suffice to say, I encountered a good number of challenges and quickly realized how different henna application was from drawing … but the good news was the end result wasn’t completely horrible. I realized I wanted to learn more and that I should seriously pursue this art form.
When I returned home, I immediately began asking around as to where I could learn and practice henna art and design. I ended up working in a local studio for less than a year before meeting Kree Arvanitas of Gilded Lilies. I believe my true henna education started when I met Kree. It was by working with her that I learned to focus on traditional design and the development of my own skill. There was so much to learn!
Even now, over eight years later, I am just as in love with the beauty of henna art as I was in the beginning and I still appreciate the meditative quality of application . I have come to a much deeper appreciation for the reach of henna in the ceremonial and the everyday, continuing to learn and expand my understanding of design, application and the history and traditions of henna.
With the dissolution of Gilded Lilies in March of 2006, Ajna Henna Body Arts was born as I wanted to continue to offer henna to Seattle and the surrounding area. I take great pleasure in meeting a broad variety of people and being a part of their special events
Thanks to the creation of the forum, HennaTribe.com I found an excellent source from which to learn even more about this rich and beautiful tradition. If you are interested in learning more about henna, I encourage you check out this site. They offer great information to the beginner and professional alike as well as a wonderfully interactive forum of artist from all over the world, all sharing their experience and experiments.
In addition to being a henna artist, I am a practicing, licensed acupuncturist, photographer and occasional filmmaker. |
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about the artist |
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Maya Vajra of Ajna Henna Body Arts |
