Today we’d like to introduce you to Rupali Munot.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Born in a small village in India, I was always fascinated by the visual arts, especially the art of henna which has an abundant presence in my culture. During weddings, rituals, and festivals the henna artist would work her intricate patterns.
She would sit for hours, and I would sit too, enthralled with the graceful movements of her hands as she wove her delicate designs. I wanted to learn, but in such a small village there wasn’t anyone to teach me, so I practiced it with my cousins and friends. As I got older, my love for art and design led me toward architecture. When I graduated high school, my loving and supportive parents moved us to a bigger city so that I could pursue a degree. While at college, I found my soulmate, Shailesh. He was accepted into the master’s of architecture program at the University of Utah, and so I followed him halfway around the world.
I imagined that I would have to give up on my passion for henna once I started my new journey in United States of America. I acclimated to life in another country and built my family. Shailesh and I were blessed with two beautiful boys, Ved, and Vivan. One day, I thought I’d show my henna to my close friend Alice, who also had a passion for art. She believed in me and encouraged me to share. I began doing henna at the local farmer’s market. I wondered if anyone would even care to stop by my henna booth. I didn’t know how eager the public would be to get to know this art form that was relatively obscure at the time.
To my surprise, my art was very well-received. It was a fun experience for them and for me. For the first time, I felt connected to the people of Salt Lake City! I learned for myself why the ancient art of Henna has transcended over thousands of years to become an integral part of Indian culture – because Henna is more than art. It is a gift of beauty that can only be shared between two people at once. And in that intimate moment of sharing, a sense of community is born. I took so much pride in spreading my culture and artwork with my clients. My husband, who has always been my greatest support, helped me put together a business. He created a website, business cards, and built a social media presence.
I focused on giving my best artwork and winning my clients’ hearts! I became a permanent vendor at Farmers Market, Utah Arts Festival, and many more big events in Salt Lake City. I am fortunate to be able to serve many local and destination weddings for bridal henna throughout the state of Utah.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I started out, people were not very familiar with this art form. It took a while for me to establish trust. The language was a big barrier. I was intimated about communicating effectively with my customers.
Also, henna is traditionally done on palms, but in United States of America, my clients would demand it on the neck, shoulders, ankles, or anywhere on their body as a tattoo. It was a little bit of a cultural shock for me. It was a learning curve for sure!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a professional Henna artist with over 25 years of experience doing authentic Indian henna designs for weddings, birthday parties, private events, ladies’ Mehandi night, sangeet night, bridal showers, and various other events. I have been doing henna in the Salt Lake City, Utah region for the past 19 years. I make my own henna and use 100% natural henna products imported from India.
I try to do my very best and it gives me immense pleasure reading great reviews and positive feedback from my customers. In the past 19 years, I’ve done everything from traditional bridal henna to pregnant baby bellies. I feel like I’ve tackled every type of request, but bridal parties are my specialty. After many years of experience, I’ve learned to work quickly and make it a great experience for everyone.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The beauty, the mountains, the four seasons, and friendly people. The only thing I don’t like about this beautiful city is, it is so far away from my hometown, India.
Contact Info:
- Email: rupalimunot@gmail.com
- Website: www.rupalishennaart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rupalimunot
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rupalihennaart
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rupalis-henna-art-salt-lake-city
