Shobna Garg & The Art Of Henna

As long as she can remember, Shobna Garg has loved to draw and paint. A native of Chandigarh, a town in northern India, Shobna moved to Erie a year ago to follow her husband, a doctor at Hamot. Shobna credits her mother, a clothing designer, for nurturing her artistic sensibilities. After completing a bachelor's degree in classical Indian singing, Shobna completed a two-year program at the National Institute of Fashion Design. There, she studied fashion and interior design. She then returned to the university to complete a Masters in English literature.

Shobna is also an accomplished henna artist. The dark reddish brown dye made from the crushed leaves of the henna plant plays an important role in weddings throughout India. "It is essential that every bride gets decorated with henna for her wedding," explains Shobna. "She will have designs painted from her fingertips to her elbows and all across her feet and ankles." The henna acts as a temporary tattoo that will last from a few days to over a week. Women have traditionally been the bearers and creators of this body ornamentation. Shobna notes that this art form is evolving. Whereas women used to grind their own paste and apply it with matchsticks, now they simply apply paste with a cone, much like a pastry bag. The cone allows for greater control, more complex designs, and it takes less time.

Currently Shobna is a substitute teacher with the Erie School District. She enjoys the contact with lots of different students, and "their hundreds of questions" about her homeland. In her spare time she paints and draws and hopes to show her work in local galleries. She also hopes to find a niche for herself in Erie as an interior designer or clothing designer.

Contact Museum Folk Art Coordinator, Kelly Armor for more information.