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Riffat is right that there are always things to be learned from others.
I saw this first hand at the Spring Fling Henna Cruise this past week.
Artists who had been working for over 10 years were thrilled to learn a new technique or little trick on how to make something better and easier.

I think the biggest issue with the Ash Kumar classes is that it is so expensive and so much repetition-I have not taken a class and only know one person personally who has done so .

Henna Caravan offers a 3 day intensive immersion weekend into all things henna each year and we are always happy to support and teach and learn and share with everyone.
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Joined: 16 Feb 2011 Posts: 5 Location: San Fran

I actually didnt think it was repetitive at all. Each day built on the previous day and each day I was more and more amazed with the new tools and tecniques I learnt. Initially I was was worried that his course would be like others I have taken locally but as soon as Day 1 was complete I knew I had made the right decision. For once I was taught how to create my own designs rather then copy other peoples or books.

It may be expensive but its a course you would take once in your life and I have already made most of my money back.

Riffat - I have been seeing your work for a long time and you are very talented.

Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 2058

well, im really glad it has made you so happy and you feel it was worth it.
yay!
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Joined: 16 Feb 2011 Posts: 5 Location: San Fran

Thank you so much Dagstar :-)

Hey hennagurus, thanks for sharing some more details with us. That is also really helpful. If you get the chance, I'd love to see your work and website! I see that you are in SF. I often have gig-overflow and I'd love to be able to pass gigs on to or work alongside a reputable artist. If you don't feel comfortable posting it online, feel free to PM me.
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Darcy if you feel inclined to call me sometime, you're welcome to - or maybe we can meet up when i come down to the Bay area in may. Or write me privately if you have ??s.

I also tried to weasel out of the first day because I thought it would too simplistic, but it does provide a foundation for the rest of the days. I also did not find it repetitive, and Ash piled on the homework, so every night i went back to the hotel and worked for 2-3 more hours to be ready for the next day. He really didn't provide much in the way of handouts - he made us take copious notes (which I think is better - it gets you involved).
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Joined: 16 Feb 2011 Posts: 5 Location: San Fran

Hey Kree...... Are you the Kree that went to the Canada Course? If you are, he was showing us the painting you gave him as a Thank you gift.....and he had nice things to say about you :-) :-)

Come on Hennagurus, we want to know who you are and see what you learned in your class with AK! Don't keep us in suspense any longer. Show us your goods!
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As you can tell we love photos on HT! We'd love to see your work! Kree, do you have photos from the class?
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here's the article I wrote with Ash, on Face Book. It's a little blurry but you can just about make out the text
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=442898630770&set=a.442897375770.241416.537080770&theater

Yes, hennaguru, same person, I gave AK a print of my Ghost Bats painting, see below. I'm surprised he mentioned me, nice to hear.

I took quite a few photos have just been a bit busy and havent put them up yet, but I guess I should get "a round tuit."

Acrylic/paint on board, bats henna on heavy paper, glitter eyes.

I'll work on it this weekend and put photos up on my flickr site.
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"If you're not out looking for trouble, you're not alive!" - Alexis Zorba

Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 2058

bad ass.
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Life is a banquet and most of these suckers are starving to death! - Mame Dennis
check out Kismet Henna on Facebook! (please)

Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 2907 Location: Amiens FRANCE

It's nice to have the opinion of those who takes the course and meet Ash Kumar as all that we have to judge is the website. A community is a place were every one can give his opinion even if it's a bad one. I think we all try to do criticism with respect ant tact.

For my part, i was very dissapointed that after saying on facebook that he will do an open day on Paris to show her school, after sending an email to register, i haven't got any answer from them and finally heard from someone else that it's been canceled. My opinon about this is that is not very professionnal.
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Joined: 26 Oct 2011 Posts: 5

Hi - My name is Eela and would like to greet all the fellow artists of this community.

My passion for henna (I grew up calling it mehendi) started in my 8th grade, when there was a Mehendi doing competition in my school back in India. I did not win any prize then, but what I got as a reward was this passion to do henna for life-time. So for, I have done henna more as a hobby but now I want to take it to the next level.

I wish to have my website up and running soon. I am working on building a good portfolio first. I have always struggled to make good cones myself and have to use the ready-made cones.If someone can suggest me a good henna (especially that doesn't need sifting) that will be great.

Thanks to all the senior artists for managing this forum. Kree and Maya, I am glad that just like me, you too are from Seattle area. I have seen both of yours websites and they are really impressive.

All excited to be a part of this community!!

Regards to ALL :)

Eela

Wow, fascinating thread.

It is really interesting to hear your reports from the class - especially since I have tended to see something like that as 'redundant' for us 'professionals' - but if I wanted to break into the mehndi bridal market, I would consider it. My business and clientele are not at that point yet, though Germans (and people from other cultures living here) are slowly discovering me. :)

I was looking at Ash Kumar's site and trying to figure out how to order henna from him - it is hard to even find that information. I do find the bling-bling and over the top verbiage off-putting, but that is a matter of personality difference. For me, being a good henna artist is like being a good teacher - being as authentic as possible. For many of Ash's clients, I would imagine that that bling is important. :)

Kree is my mentor. She let me start working professionally with her - when was that? 97? 98? and hennad me and fed me lunch the first time I ever met her. If Kree says someone has worthwhile information, I believe her. She is, I think, singlehandedly responsible for making Henna in Seattle what it is - she taught so many artists who are now working on their own, supported them as she did me - and anyway, she is my guru and I bow to her.

There is definitely something all of us can learn and that is what is really missing for me - there is no henna community here. The artists I do meet sometimes mix their own paste, sometimes use 'whatever' they got in an Asian shop (!) without knowing what is in it - to me, unthinkable - but I try to treat them all with respect and kindness and see what I can learn from them.

That was one of the ideas behind this site when we founded it in 2004 - to support each other and know that all of us have something to learn.
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