A question of artistry and experience

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Posted by jennifer on March 06, 1998 at 23:34:15:

I have a question for all of you... how do you feel about the general
level of artistry and cultural understanding among people who do
henna/mehndi professionally?

Here's my take on it... I am not myself an artist. I do my own henna
sometimes, and sometimes I have it done by a friend of mine who has
been doing it professionally for something like 10 years. She's an
exceptional artist and has lived in africa and traveled extensively in
areas where henna is traditionally used. However at the other end of
the spectrum, I've seen "professionals" (and I use that term loosely)
who seem to think that a decent recipie for henna paste is the only
thing required to set themselves up as henna artists. I've seen some
people who have either low artistic standards or very little
understanding of the traditional cultures or both! In my mind at a
minimum an artist who considers herself/himself a professional should
have a basic understanding of both middle eastern and indian styles
and have the basic draftmans skills to be able to create a piece in
those traditional styles... if they want to start offering celtic,
fantasy, tattoo ect... styles then that's great, but I guess I've seen
WAY to many sloppy, poorly executed designs or portfolios of work that
show almost no traditional work. Now I know that information about
traditional henna work is hard to find, but it seems like some people
are not even making an effort... they just make up a good paste then
set up a table on Venice beach or a sign in their nail salon saying
they know what they're doing.

Now I'm not talking here about henna art done by amatures by themselve
or for a friend. That's the way it's always been done in traditional
cultures and hell... it's FUN! But if I go to a professional I expect
them to have a greater library of incredible designs in their head, to
be able to accomodate a clients request (I personally usually ask for
tradtional designs) and I expect them to be able to execute them WAY
better than I could on my own. So what do the people on this board
think?

-jj

Follow-ups:

Re: A question of artistry and experience VMehta 14:08:23 9/04/98 (0)
Re: A question of artistry and experience Desiree 19:18:54 3/09/98 (1)
- Re: A question of artistry and experience Desiree 19:32:24 3/09/98 (0)
Re: A question of artistry and experience Catherine cartwright Jones 16:43:17 3/08/98 (0)

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: I have a question for all of you... how do you feel about the general : level of artistry and cultural understanding among people who do : henna/mehndi professionally? : Here's my take on it... I am not myself an artist. I do my own henna : sometimes, and sometimes I have it done by a friend of mine who has : been doing it professionally for something like 10 years. She's an : exceptional artist and has lived in africa and traveled extensively in : areas where henna is traditionally used. However at the other end of : the spectrum, I've seen "professionals" (and I use that term loosely) : who seem to think that a decent recipie for henna paste is the only : thing required to set themselves up as henna artists. I've seen some : people who have either low artistic standards or very little : understanding of the traditional cultures or both! In my mind at a : minimum an artist who considers herself/himself a professional should : have a basic understanding of both middle eastern and indian styles : and have the basic draftmans skills to be able to create a piece in : those traditional styles... if they want to start offering celtic, : fantasy, tattoo ect... styles then that's great, but I guess I've seen : WAY to many sloppy, poorly executed designs or portfolios of work that : show almost no traditional work. Now I know that information about : traditional henna work is hard to find, but it seems like some people : are not even making an effort... they just make up a good paste then : set up a table on Venice beach or a sign in their nail salon saying : they know what they're doing. : Now I'm not talking here about henna art done by amatures by themselve : or for a friend. That's the way it's always been done in traditional : cultures and hell... it's FUN! But if I go to a professional I expect : them to have a greater library of incredible designs in their head, to : be able to accomodate a clients request (I personally usually ask for : tradtional designs) and I expect them to be able to execute them WAY : better than I could on my own. So what do the people on this board : think? : -jj

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