Re: more specific now...
Posted by Catherine Cartwright JOnes on February 06, 2000 at 22:48:22:
In Reply to: more specific now... posted by Rosie on February 06, 2000 at 19:43:56:
One of the favorite things of my Arab clients is for the henna
patterns to have graceful designs around a word written in Arabic. I
have a few (by grace of Kenzi and Wehr) worked up ... but if you don't
read and write Arabic, ask your client to write a word for you, then
work it into a design.
My Palestinian clients often want me to henna the initials or name of
their husband or eldest son into their henna pattern.
The only other advice I can give, is : be very alert, and a really
good listener! Never assume you know much at all ... let them tell
you what they want! Ask questions. And, my best trick when I'd screw
up ... just raised my hands and sighed "The American is an idiot" and
that will endeared me to them as they fell all over themselves
laughing.
If you are offered coffee in an Arab home, it may take 3 days to come
down out of orbit.