The Henna plant
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The henna plant, lawsonia inermis, is a small leafy bush grows in hot climates.
She offers her sweet green leaves to the warm sun, to dry and crumble in the name of beauty. Her ground leaves met the luxe-calm of lavender oil, the tart humor of lemon juice, and the simple comfort of table sugar. Together they wait, the alchemy of their elements unleashing an ancient dye that yearns to lay on willing skin. In dialogue, the henna and skin create magical imagery, informed by the medicine of the plant, inspired by the contours of the human form, bound and stretched by the cultures who've honored and honed that symbolic language. I am the charmed listener, one of many thousands of fierce, feminine artists, who interprets that dialogue and brings it to life. I am grateful to the teachers and traditions that have welcomed me into the lineage of artists who speak the language of henna. |
