Today we’d like to introduce you to Arusa Majeed.
Hi Arusa; so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Henna has always been a part of my life. As a Pakistani, it’s one of the vital parts of us getting ready for a special event. Weddings, eid celebrations, baby showers, and so much more. But when did I become a henna artist? Well, I always intended on being an artist. As a child, I loved drawing and painting. I even won awards at school through my art. I would tell my parents that I would be an artist when I grew up. But as I got older, it didn’t seem like that would be my path. I didn’t have a medium for my art. I started concentrating on school and other aspects of life, and while I still loved drawing, it got put on the back burner. I have my mom to thank for my journey back to art. One day, my mother brought home some henna cones from our local Indian store. I was so excited and practically begged my mom to decorate my hands. Henna being so meticulous meant she would have to find special time in her busy schedule to do it. So being notoriously impatient, I decided to do it myself. I went to school the next day, and everyone was in awe and wanted one for themselves. That’s where I began my journey into becoming a henna artist.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Has it been smooth? Still trying to figure that out; however, it has been a long road. I started in high school, and as a 17-year-old, I had no idea what I was getting into. And some people did take advantage of that. I have no regrets about my journey, as it has taught me a lot; my naivety made me stronger today. The service industry experience is so valuable; although it might have been overwhelming as a teenager, I’m better off with that knowledge. Also, I did learn a lot about wedding season, bridezillas (or the aunts and mothers), and how everything must be immaculate. The pressure of bridal henna is immense. Learning to work under pressure has been a journey in and of itself. Each client and each experience is different. Being a henna artist, you never stop learning.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a henna artist. I specialize in henna artistry but in many different mediums. I use 100% organic natural henna, jagua gel, glitter henna, and colored hennas (just sealed paints). I also make candles and paintings. My candles are primarily used in henna ceremonies at South Asian weddings as decorations, but I find many people ordering them as gifts. My paintings can feature mandalas or henna designs, but my absolute favorite thing to paint is Arabic and Urdu calligraphy. I have a deep-rooted connection to it, and it’s also completely separate from henna.
I am most proud of my very first art show. When I started my henna business, I was approached by an organization named RAW Natural Born Artists in Dallas. They helped up-and-coming artists and creatives by arranging showcases to help get their names out there. My first show was on the day I graduated high school. My ceremony was in the morning, and my show started in the evening. I drove my U-Haul an hour to downtown Dallas with all my setup equipment. I got my siblings to work, and it was the perfect setup. With a colorful array of shimmering curtains, lights, and embroidered pillows, it was a scene taken out of the Arabian nights. I spent most of the evening doing henna, but I had 10 minutes on stage to talk about my business. I was 18, fresh out of high school, and so nervous. And I’m sure that was evident to the 1500 people standing before me. However, looking back at it now, I’m proud of myself. I did that when so many doubted if I could, including me. I had a newfound confidence in my abilities, talent, and myself.
What makes you happy?
It might sound cliché (my sister often teases me that I’m a walking, talking cliché), but my children, I have two boys, Haider and Zayn, aged 3 and 2. They are so exhausting, practically twins. But they are my cheerleaders. They are the ones to tell me, “Wow, mom! Good job!” over literally the smallest things I do. One of my core memories with my older son, Haider, happened recently this past Halloween. Haider is the biggest (and I truly mean biggest) fan of skeletons, ghosts, and anything having to do with Halloween. He had this obsession long before Halloween came around, and when it did, I’m sure you can imagine what that meant to him. He was ecstatic. He wanted to be a skeleton for the big day. So the night before, I got his skeleton hands ready. Meaning, skeleton henna hands! The look on his face was priceless. Seeing him so happy with my art gave me so much joy. And Zayn? He was a hotdog. That also made me extremely happy.
Pricing:
- Bridal – $95/hr
- Large Groups – $85/hr
- Individual henna- starting at $25
- Travel fees- $10-50
Contact Info:
- Etsy: https://etsy.me/3Y4MRrG
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hennabyarusa/
