Natasha Monahan Papousek

I have long been interested in the customs and societies of people in faraway places.  As an Asian Studies major in college, and later as a graduate student in Ethnomusicology, I focused primarily on China, Korea, Japan and India.  (It's a long story why I'm not still on that academic track...life happens.)

I've always appreciated the music (and especially the food) of the Middle East, but it was not until I moved to Austin, Texas and began taking bellydance lessons that I began to really notice henna. Now that I live in San Diego, henna has become an intrinsic way of life. I continue to learn and meet fascinating people, and the more I learn the more there is to learn -- the journey has just begun...

 
I was fascinated.  I was entranced.  I had to learn more.  An internet search led me to The Henna Page and I eagerly read whatever was posted.

But I still hadn't tried henna.  Then my husband gave me a kit for my birthday and I was hooked.  That was July 1997 and I've been henna-ing ever since.  In March 1998, my friends began insisting on paying me for doodling on them and Crescent Moon Designs was born. (The name comes from the dance name of my first dance class in Texas taught by the amazingly patient and beautiful Almaazah)

When I'm not doing henna, you can find me making and packaging a henna aftercare balm to protect and prolong henna designs. I also study art and linguistics at SDSU.

And whenever I can I attend henna conferences and gatherings... the more I learn, the more there is to learn!!

In addition to private clients I've:

  • Provided henna at Tesoros, a totally cool shop in Austin, TX, for their summer event, August 1998
  • Vended henna at the Austin Spamarama (yes, a festival that celebrates Spam!) in late May 1999
  • Vended henna at the Austin Blues Festival  in June 1999
  • participated in the 1st International Henna Conference at Sirius Rising, Brushwood Camp near Jamestown, NY in early July 1999
  • worked for Gilded Lilies at WOMAD (World Music And Dance festival) in Seattle in late July 1999
  • had a henna booth at Jeanette's Shimmy into September Bellydance Week-end at the Ramada Inn, September 1999
  • vended at the Natural Magic Equinox Spring Festival, March 19, 2000
  • vended for the silent movie, Thief of Bagdhad, with live music by 1001 Nights, March 19, 2000.
  • had a henna booth at the Lantern Festival to raise funds for Sri Atmananda Memorial School
  • Wild Basin Arts and Music Festival, May 13, 2000
  • Dell Jewish Community Center Israeli Independence Day Festival, May 14
  • Brushwood Cultural and Retreat Center, Sherman, NY.  I led groups on growing henna, using henna on drums and fibers.(Although not related to henna, I also led a class on the bathing practices of ancient Rome -- we did a modern recreation a Roman bath-house experience, July 11-16. OK, so the Romans didn't really use henna, but they did know how to relax in a hot tub... )
  • Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA.  I teamed up with the amazingly talented artists of Gilded Lilies for this exciting multicultural festival of music and arts, Sept. 1-4, 2000 and also Labor Day week-end 2001.
  • Provided henna services at the San Diego Children's Museum Inner Child Fundraiser, Dec. 2001
  • Created an exhibit on henna in India for the Children's Museum, on display March 2002.
  • Provided henna services for a community picnic in La Jolla in July 2002.
  • Provided henna services for Best Buddies charitable event, April 2003 and 2004.
  • Resident henna artist at Loew's Coronado Bay Resort for summer 2003.
  • Gave presentation at San Marcos Library, August 2003.
  • Provided henna at Reebok Triathalon, October 2003.
  • Provided henna services for Bearing Point corporate event at THIN in the Gaslamp District of San Diego, January 2004
  • Provided henna services to patrons as a park artist of Balboa Park, summer 2004
  • Teach classes on the Art of Henna at La Mesa Parks and Recreation, ongoing since Fall 2004
  • Held a Tsunami Fundraiser as part of the Hennatribe.com alliance, January 2005
  • Provided henna services for Best Buddies Bowl-a-thon and Dance, March 2005
  • Provided henna art at Balboa Park's Spanish Village Arts Festival, May and September 2005 and May 2006
  • Give presentations at San Diego county libraries as part of the teen reading program since 2002
  • Provided henna services for the USO's day of pampering for military wives, July 2005
  • Vended henna the the Maritime Museum's Festival of Sail, August 2005
  • Juried in as a member of the artist community of Spanish Village in Spanish Village, 2006.

 

Today's Local News, a paper devoted to serving the neighborhoods of San Diego's North County, drew attention to Natasha's henna art and educational presentations in an article entitled, Skin Savvy, which ran in the Lifestyles section on July 13, 2005.

  

Natasha's henna was highlighted in an article on a local couple's tradional Indian wedding held in San Diego. Smriti Mohan's mehndi party was on July 1, 2005 and the article appeared on Sunday, July 17th edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune in the PASSAGES section, page J2.

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(c) 2007 by Natasha Papousek All rights reserved
Last updated 18 March 2007