Henna

Local Sioux City, Iowa artist Karnak teaches and creates the art of Henna. As a child she was intrigued with heavily inked women photographed from exotic locations and shown in such magazines as National Geographic. As a result of this she used to draw on herself with an ink pen.

Henna is applied to the surface of the skin and some would better describe it as a temporary tattoo.

As a budding artist Karnak discovered intricate patterns were often applied on a bride’s body right before wedding ceremonies.

Karnak explains, "Getting a henna tattoo was considered something ceremonial in ancient India.” “For married women in the bridal party, getting a henna tattoo might also be considered celebratory since it got them out of doing housework until the ink dried.”

After receiving her first jar of henna paste she made the leap from ink pen tattoos to actual Henna. Since then she makes her own recipes of Henna from the paste, dyes, citrus juices, teas and scented essential oils.

Karnak creates Mehndi patterns and as as an art teacher in Hinton, Iowa she has taught her students the art of Henna as well as held Henna 101 classes at other locations in Sioux City.

The most common designs for women are floral and more traditional mehndi patterns Men prefer geometric shapes and swords and kids like skulls and cross bones.

Karnak is also a member of the local belly dance troupe, the Desert Angels and has applied Henna designs on the belly's, arms, feet and hands of the dancers prior to performances.

Complex designs can take an hour or more while more simple designs take as little as 15 minutes.

This blogger has seen Karnak's work first hand and it is indeed beautiful. He has even thought of getting a design himself but has yet to sum up the courage.

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Henna photo: