About me
My story began with a henna design more than twenty years ago.
To me, henna is much more than a beautiful pattern on the skin.
It is a form of art that brings together craftsmanship, a love of detail, culture and the personal connection that makes every piece a little different.
Today, I work with private clients, at weddings, cultural & corporate events, and teach henna through workshops and individual tuition. But the story began much earlier.
Schlakker Angelika
Henna by Angelika
where it all began
A book, a pattern and endless curiosity
I first heard about henna towards the end of primary school. I already knew that I wanted to explore Indian culture, so when I discovered henna more closely at the age of fourteen, I was immediately fascinated.
Not long afterwards, I bought my first supplies and started experimenting for myself.
Of course, those early attempts were far from perfect. There were recipes that did not quite work, badly rolled cones, and designs that looked much better in my imagination than they did on skin.
But I kept coming back to henna – experimenting, learning and practising.
I still have my very first henna book today.
A few photographs from the early days.
from hobby to profession
For many years, henna kept finding its way back into my life. There were periods when I practised intensively and others when I only picked up a cone occasionally, but it never disappeared completely.
When I started my dance school, henna became a regular part of our summer camps, club afternoons and community programmes. Those experiences shaped much of the way I work with people, groups and workshop participants today.
Over time, I began studying the materials, techniques, different design traditions and the cultural history of henna in greater depth. Curiosity gradually became deliberate learning, and a hobby slowly developed into professional work.
Today, I work at international weddings, corporate and cultural events, festivals and private appointments, as well as teaching the art of henna.
And after all these years, I am still fascinated by the same thing: how much can emerge from just a few lines.
How I work
I love intricate, precise work, and a beautiful design can still get me genuinely excited.
Some people arrive with an exact reference image.
Others show me a handful of motifs they love. And sometimes all I am given is a feeling: something delicate, something unusual, or something completely unexpected.
Each becomes a different creative process, but the aim is always the same.
Technical precision matters to me just as much as attention and communication.
I enjoy having the space to talk, exchange ideas and shape a design together before it finds its place on the skin.
Events naturally have a different rhythm. There, speed, organisation and a smooth experience for guests become just as important.
But the principle remains the same: quality work that fits the person, the occasion and the setting.
TRADITION & CONTEMPORARY BODY ART
Respecting tradition while making space for something new.
My journey into henna began through my interest in India, so understanding the culture and traditions behind the art has always mattered to me just as much as learning the patterns themselves.
At the same time, I love that body art continues to evolve.
Alongside traditional mehndi, I enjoy working with contemporary, minimalist and more unconventional designs. Jagua has opened up yet another visual language within my work, allowing me to explore ideas that feel entirely different from traditional henna.
I do not believe tradition and contemporary expression have to compete.
There is space for both.
Ars Poetica
quality
attention
Carefully chosen materials and precise, considered work.
Every person, every occasion and every design deserves the same care and attention.
curiosity
culture
creativity
More than twenty years later, I still love discovering new techniques, motifs and possibilities.
The cultures behind henna and jagua inspires me just as much as the art itself.
For me, creating is a space for imagination, play and discovery.
India, dace, creativity
Alongside henna, Indian culture and dance have been part of my life for many years.
To me, these worlds have never existed separately.
They are connected by the same curiosity, love of detail and joy of creating.
Perhaps that is why I feel most at home in art forms where tradition and individual expression can exist side by side.
That is also what I love about henna.
It can be mehndi built from centuries-old motifs or a completely contemporary, unconventional idea.
For me, it becomes truly interesting when the design finds its place on the person it was created for.
