Meet the Artist

Karisma A.

Art has been my escape for as long as I can remember. It was one of those skills, I was truly proud of and found a lot of comfort and peace in. I loved it so much, I purposely choose art for my GCSE’s and Photography for my A levels along side academic subjects. 

I have a faint memory of having my henna done in Mauritius by one of my aunties when I was around 11 or 12 years old, on the steps in front of my grandmother's yard. I was captivated by the process and found it incredibly fascinating. However, when I moved to the UK in 2008, it became increasingly difficult to find henna artists for special occasions such as Diwali. I vividly recall my trip to Southall in West London to purchase my first henna cone. It was an emergency cone, so the smell wasn't particularly pleasant, but that didn't deter me. I believed that since I could draw, how difficult could it really be? Looking back at my younger self at the age of 16, I can't help but laugh at my naivety. I began practicing by replicating traditional henna designs that I found on the internet.

During that time, social media was just beginning to gain traction. As the years went by, I started attempting to apply henna on both my hands and often practiced on my aunties and family members for Eid celebrations. However, it wasn't until the lockdown period that my journey towards becoming a professional henna artist truly began. If it weren't for the unwavering support and encouragement of my dear friend, Nardia, I wouldn't have mustered the confidence to create my own Instagram page and establish myself as a professional in this field.

My journey involved transitioning from using emergency henna cones to natural ones, in order to refine my work and achieve a higher level of detail. I started by practicing on paper, dedicating countless hours from morning till evening. I even purchased a practice hand to gradually reduce the surface area that needed to be covered, until I felt ready to apply henna on my sister and mother. It took several months of continuous practice to perfect and refine my work, and to be completely honest, I am still learning and growing, as there is always room for improvement.

I often receive compliments about my steady hand when it comes to applying henna. The secret lies in my confidence and pride in my work.