CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER | 11-05-06


Henna happening Cleveland Plain Dealer | Sunday, November 05, 2006 Kristina Haberek likes to paint on people instead of canvas, but she always gets their permission first. The Lakewood resident does henna painting, an art she stumbled upon after earning a degree in studio art at Cleveland State University. It's a pre-wedding tradition in India and some Islamic countries where the brides' feet and hands are painted with intricate designs. Haberek, 34, does most of her painting just for fun or at street fairs, but she also takes private parties and clients. She also sells henna supplies at www.HennaMe.net. She chatted with Plain Dealer reporter Fran Henry. What is henna painting? It's doing designs on skin using a paste made with henna, a powder that comes from a plant called lawsonia inermis. The henna stains the skin. Where did you discover henna painting? I went to the Hessler Street fair about eight years ago, and someone was doing henna. I thought it was really cool and ended up getting it done. When I first started, it was more of a hobby. Who taught you? Me! I learned the technical aspect on my own. I practiced on myself, friends and family, but mostly myself. It's like decorating a cake. Did it come easy? Being an artist doesn't mean you're going to be a good henna artist. It took me about three years to go from practicing on myself to doing it at street fairs. What was the hardest part to learn? It took me some time to be able to mix the paste so it would be consistent. I make the paste with henna powder I buy from Pakistan and mix it with lemon juice, sugar and essential oils. And it definitely took some time to get the speed and come up with designs early on. Have you ever goofed up? Sure. I can just wipe the paste off and start over. It only stains if it's been on a half hour. Has anyone ever hated your painting? Not yet. How long do designs last? One to three weeks. Excess washing and friction from clothes make the stain fade faster. Where's the best place to paint? It's darkest on the palms of the hand and the bottoms of the feet. Wrists are good, too. The farther from the palm or foot, the lighter it gets. If someone requests lower back, I tell them it will be a lot lighter. What's the most unusual painting you've done? A regular client works at a topless bar, and I painted a big dragon from her stomach, between her breasts and to her shoulder. It was something I'm not used to, but that's what she wanted, soooo. She gets hennaed two or three times a month, and the location varies. I'll do what my clients ask -- if it's not unreasonable. Do you have any male clients? Oh, yeah. I do a lot of outdoor festivals and get both men and women. The men want dragons and kanji, which are Chinese and Japanese writing characters. What kind of parties have you done? Girls' night out, baby showers and a bunch of birthday parties for kids. For kids? To them, it's the closest to getting a tattoo and being a grown-up. I wouldn't do children under 6.

 

 

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