Find me at kenzi.com, kenzilisa@gmail and on Facebook as "kenzi henna"
I trace my passion for henna body art to the time I spent living and working in Morocco. My years in North Africa and elsewhere throughout the world have instilled in me a sincere appreciation for diverse cultures, arts, traditions and history. A self-taught professional henna artist, I am currently working on a book of her original henna art as well as a book celebrating the rich henna tradition of Morocco. By revealing techniques, recipes, designs, myths and history, I seek to rescue from obscurity this ancient women's art form. My love of Moroccan design is reflected in my henna work into which I also incorporates contemporary as well as traditional influences from other cultures including Indian, Pakistani, Persian among others. While my work is deeply rooted in these traditions, it is also entirely modern, often referred to as NeoFusion!
My experience as a henna artist is as vast as my influences. Perhaps you have seen my work in the movies (Spike Lee's "The 25th Hour" and Jonathan Demme's "The Manchurian Candidate) or on MTV (Erykah Badu's video for "Love of my Life"). I have also created original pieces for photo shoots and fashion shows. I also works at large-scale corporate events and festivals (such as Bulgari, HBO and Le Tigre), as well as intimate weddings, parties and private consultations. I teach the art of henna in workshops around New York City and am president of a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion of henna body art (
www.hennatribe.com). You can find my work at
www.Kenzi.com
Some important information about henna to keep in mind: it lasts about 2-3 weeks, it comes out darkest on the hands and the feet and not so well on the torso, the model has to get the henna done 2 days before the shoot, s/he has to leave the paste on for several hours (4-6 hours on the hands or feet, 6-8 hours on the arms or legs and 12 hour on the torso) and then keep the area away from water for 12 hours after the paste is removed. Henna will stain the skin with a reddish/brown color. Don't even ask me to do black henna; it's toxic and can burn your skin, leaving a scar. If you must have a design in black, use body paint or temptu.
