Parties & Private Events
Throw a party to remember!
How It Works
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I can see about 5-6 people per hour for a design about the size of a person's palm.
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I arrive with a base set of designs that your guests can customize. This keeps the line moving so that everyone gets a turn in a timely manner, and everyone gets approximately the same amount of henna.
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For smaller, more intimate parties, we'll discuss details beforehand about how many people you're expecting and how large a design you'd like to gift them.
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Once details are agreed upon, I will send you a contract to sign and return with the deposit.
Ages 10+ only
Henna parties are a fantastic way to wow guests of almost any age. However,
I do not see children under 10 years of age for safety reasons.
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While I certainly am not going to card your kids, the reason I have an age cutoff is because of the risk of a reaction in people with G6PD deficiency. This is an uncommon condition that can cause people who come in contact with henna (and, oddly, fava beans) to develop sudden and sometimes severe anemia. While it's extremely unlikely for this reaction to occur, in young children it can be especially dangerous, even fatal. So for everyone's sake, my minimum age is 10 years old for all children.
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It's a question of safety, not individual maturity. Nothing ruins a party quite like a trip to the ER.
Pricing
$75/hour plus travel
Minimum 2 hours within 50 miles
Minimum 3 hours >50 miles
50% upfront deposit and signed contract required to hold the date
Henna artists around the country typically charge between $75 to $150+ per hour, depending on skill level, specialties, and local economy. For parties the pricing tends toward the lower end of that spectrum, with prices rising for specialized / celebrity artists.
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If your location is more than 50 miles from Belchertown, MA, there is a $3/mile surcharge to cover gas and time.
For example, if you live in Albany, NY, that is 75 miles from Belchertown, MA.
75mi total distance - 50mi included in base price = 25mi extra
25 miles x $3/mile = $75 surcharge
Please Note
Henna is an art form that has a history stretching back 5,000-8,000+ years across dozens of cultures, from Northern and Eastern Africa to the Mediterranean, Middle East, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Western Asia, South Asia, and East Asia. These are rich and complex cultures, not party themes. For this reason I do not do "ethnic" themed events. I do not wear other cultures' clothing as a costume and I do not hand out bindis.
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I especially do not do party themes using slurs (e.g. "gy***").​​
I understand the lure of using henna as part of a particular aesthetic. Most folks who grew up in North America associate it with India or at the very least with the exotic. However, while the henna plant and its use are global, with a long and fascinating history, I myself am white and American. I'm jeans & teeshirt henna. I'm Berkshire henna. It would be wrong for me to playact anything other than what I am.
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The question of misappropriation is a complex one that I think about daily and am happy to discuss, but for me cultural misappropriation includes claiming credit for being or pretending to be something one is not. This is why I do not do themed parties or events where members of those cultures should be the focus, and why I do not wear attire such as kurti as costumes.
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I am, however, always delighted to point you toward safe artists from traditionally henna-using cultures for any event, at any time.
Individual Appointments
I offer a limited number of private appointments by arrangement.
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I can meet you at your location (subject to refusal if unsafe, but otherwise I am comfortable in all kinds of homes though I would ask you to secure enthusiastic pets or housemates ;) ) If you prefer, I can meet you at a safe public space so long as the space does not disapprove. Cafes are common, as are libraries and parks. I no longer offer appointments out of my home for safety reasons. (It only takes one guy to ruin it for everyone, y'know?)
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Individual appointment pricing is $60/hour, plus travel
50% deposit to hold the date
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Minimum 1 hour within 50 miles of Belchertown, MA
Minimum 2 hours if outside 50 miles from Belchertown
For distances over 50 miles there is a $3/mi surcharge. (Example: 75 miles would count as 25 more than 50, so the fee would would 25 miles x $3/mi = $75.)
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The first chemo crown is free.​​
I am happy to provide examples of what I can do in an hour, but for a medium level of detail I can cover an area about the size of a modern cellphone screen. If you have specific requests, we can talk before your appointment to work out an estimate.
Large Designs
Want to test out a tattoo or try a funky design you saw online? If given a printout I am able to trace outlines and use transfer paper to use the exact design you want.
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Just remember that henna is only one color, and is limited in the level of fine detail it can achieve. I'm not able to do photos, for example, but I can do line drawings.
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Note: All symbols and drawings are subject to approval. I do not do symbols associated with hate groups, political factions, war, violence, and similar such topics. In the same vein I do not do Harry Potter and related intellectual properties due to the anti-LGBTQ and strongly anti-trans association it has acquired through its creator. I do not do religious symbols unless the client is a member of that religion (e.g. OM, Buddhist symbols, etc.).
Custom Designs
Belly Henna
Pregnancy henna, sometimes called a belly blessing, is becoming quite popular!
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For pregnancy henna I recommend finding a private, comfortable space where you can recline while I work.
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Berkshire Henna is a gender-inclusive business. All parents are eligible for belly henna.
Several years ago henna artists around the country began to offer "crowns" to chemo patients who wish to have a design done. For crown appointments I work around your schedule and am flexible to your energy levels. I recommend arranging a comfortable space where you can take as many breaks as you need.
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When working with chemo patients I use lavender oil in my paste because it is the safest oil that works for henna. However, please consider checking with your treatment team prior to the appointment to make sure henna won't interfere with treatment. I am happy to provide my ingredient list at any time (it's henna powder, water, sugar, and oil, but I can also provide specifics if needed).
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The first chemo crown is free. I only ask that if you love it, tell your friends.
Chemo Crowns
What about ______ ?
Bridal / Sangeet
I am willing to discuss bridal and wedding-related henna. I may be a good fit for fusion weddings in particular.
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With that said, I encourage families looking for a traditional henna experience to seek an artist with ties to your community. I am very happy to help find a safe, knowledgeable henna artist who is a better fit. The henna world in New England is quite small and many of us know one another, so I may be able to help point you toward someone with a better understanding of expectations and norms.
Tutoring, Lectures, Classes, &c.
I am quite happy to talk about the history and biology of henna and to offer tutorials and introductory classes, but with the caveat that I do not bring the rich, nuanced perspective that someone from a historically henna-using culture would.
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As with bridal, I would be delighted to help find a better fit if one is available in the area, as well as locate online resources.
Unpaid "Opportunities" & Donated Services/Materials
Like most working artists, I get occasional requests to do work for free. Or as some like to call it: "exposure."
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Also like most working artists, I do not accept exposure as recompense for the time, materials, travel expenses, practice hours, insurance coverage, continuing education classes, lost opportunities for paid work, and taxes I am responsible for as a small business owner who relies on a skill. That is, after all, how all other businesses work.
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Subcontracting / Employment
My rate for individual appointments and events is outlined above.
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