Re:educating the masses

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: : Now I know that those of you who are experienced with bridal henna : : parties have to feel my pain, the brides are driving me NUTS. Unlike : : if it were my briday party, these girls want me to do designs on : : their BACKS!!!!! I have been expressing my annoyance with Catherine : : off-list about this, but it's just almost insulting to me. There is : : a hint of the "temporary tattoo" feel to this, and I have been : : pouring my heart into making this an authentic experience, as I would : : want it. So far, I know I can do 2 bride's feet, and 2 bride's : : backs.....but I am so frustrated. : : It changes my perspective about the party to EDUCATING these women : : about what they are potentially missing out on...here's a short : : excerpt from an email I wrote CCJ about this....I'm REALLY interested : : to hear about your experiences in dealing with American brides and : : even just Americans at festivals and art faires???????? : : The one thing I have to say that probably made ArabianFest in : : Milwaukee my A#1 henna experience is that people were so much less : : into picking out a pattern, they just wanted to EXPERIENCE receiving : : henna. They didn't give a crap if it was a moon and stars, or : : whatever, they just put their hands out to me, I did whatever the : : ARTIST felt like, and then when it was done and gorgeous, I got my : : $10. Plain and simple. Screw design books, screw what people want. : : I just wanna be the artist, and I want to be trusted. It doesn't : : start out like that automatically, of course people standing around : : watch me work, get impressed, and then they realize that there is an : : advantage to letting me do whatever it is that I think would be most : : beautiful......in fact I do my best work with total freedom as do we : : all I would assume. : Hmmm. : I know it's frustrating. But I kind of figure if I;m being paid to do : a job, the customer gets what the customer wants (if i can deliver : it)...I just grit my teeth and do the stupid Pokeman thing or tat : design they want on parts of the body that don't stain well. : After, of course, explaining that this isn't magic, and it isn't ink, : and that not all parts stain equally. So the bridal belly, neck and : back henna that I did not too long ago turned out really light...but : that's exactly what I told her would happen and she wanted it anyways. : (sticking my tongue out, told her so!)

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