Bassculture Islands No 5 | Page 95

bassculture islands

What started as a tribute to
his friend Rushay Angeliqué
Young grew to be his daily
life, his work and passion.
Mark Samuels is a Jamaica based henna artist. He
has been practicing henna
for the past 4 years. He tells
us about his work, gives us
beauty henna advice and
shares his latest project. Exclusively for Bassculture Islands, Mark Samuels reveals
his new work - face painting.
Each pattern I make is my own.
I actually have a strict policy against
copying the work of others but I will
do reinterpretations upon request. I
used to just combine the different elements from the traditional Indian
style of henna in different ways, but
these days I have my own style that is
informed by nature and plant forms.
I have also developed a unisex style
that many persons seem to gravitate
towards these days.
Although henna is commonly used
by women, quite a few men get henna
done as well. Most of my male
clients ask for less flowery line work.
Generally, they prefer designs with
a more restricted look, rather than
something that is freeform.
Henna dye and tattoo inks are quite
different and should not be confused.
Like tattoo ink, however, it is just an
artistic medium that can be translated
into all sorts of imagery, like all other
artistic media.