Paisleys & Swirls - Henna Art in Houston

I turned from Naqiya Hussain, into Naqiya Hussain Lokhandwala after getting married in September 2012. Along with my name-change, I also made another most-exciting change to my life: I moved from Toronto to Houston. It was scary, exciting and self-realizing all at the same time. I had to adjust to a brand new culture, weather temperatures and landscape but I was adamant to make the most of it! That’s when I turned my dream into a reality: I started applying Henna. For the last few years, I had started molding the dream; however, I didn’t have the talent to follow. After spending nearly a year practicing, I felt ready! I was driven by my desire to meet new people and share my art with them. I wanted to explore the patterns and find new canvases for them so I could spread the beauty everywhere. I was inspired by the joy on people’s faces and their appreciation for my self-taught talent was unparalleled to any other happiness. Where did my love for this art begin? I started drawing henna patterns in my agenda in grade school…that’s when I learned my intrigue for the way the abstract designs connected and grew. That’s where my name is derived from: Paisleys and Swirls, because each helps the other connect in order to build a complete piece. I continued drawing and pursuing these patterns because they made me feel calm and at peace. Really, that’s the best part: Henna brings me bliss.