I am an artist. These words are so strange and so exciting! You see, growing up, I never took any art classes. I never thought I was gifted.
My friends were a lot more skilled when it came to doodling in notebooks at boring classes. I, myself, grew frustrated while trying to mimic their pretty dainty designs.
Drawing a rose was always the top level of the artistry to me. I started and stopped so many times, it seemed very complicated at the time. I admired the people who could do it.
I admired the people who could create, from their heart.
While drawing mandalas and flowers, there still was that rose. The rose that always reminded me I was nothing special, I couldn’t draw it.
I was always attracted to vines and paisleys.
My free-spirited self never liked coloring sheets that someone else would create. Sometimes I would just buckle in and color one but they were never as satisfying as the ones I created myself.
Discovering the art of mehndi, also known as Mehandi or henna art, has literally changed my life.
It so satisfying to see the pretty designs appearing on person’s skin through the magic of what seems to be just a simple cone.
Yes, I picked up a cone. I mixed my own henna from leftover henna I used for my hair way back when it was long. I made my very first foot design and I was hooked!
My very first designs were messy and shaky, my lines were fat and unappealing, but I still loved it!
The baby elephant design has taught me a lot about the importance of practice and cone control!
Now it was up to me to practice and not give up. Practice for progress, not perfection. To say I don’t strive for perfection would be a lie. I want my paisleys to be symmetrical and my lines to be thin and consistent. But this comes with practice. It’s not going to happen overnight. It took me three months to get from the first ever foot design to my first ever event! I will share the customer work in a different post because today I want to share the rose!
My first ever rose, my own rose! I used the Eskimo Rose design created by @kimbrennaarts shared by @mehndikajoeyhenna on Instagram as an example. I will work on my own and will create one that is mine. But for now, I just want to bask in the glory of the fact that I can draw a rose with henna!
Never ever had I thought that my love for henna would inspire my own kids! I couldn’t imagine my boys would like the flowery designs I am so fond of. And they don’t.
This compass henna was done when the big boy said, I need a compass so I will always find my way home.
