About the Hangout

Helping to promote natural henna artistry in the city of Toronto, we want this day to be all about learning, sharing, making friends, and celebrating the joys of henna.

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There will be a variety of different level classes available to everyone throughout the day, from beginners, to seasoned artists, to professionals. If you are very new to henna, the hosts are here to help you at any time, and answer your questions about anything from paste making to cone rolling to frequently asked questions about henna. Please don't be shy, we are happy to help! 

 

We hope that you will be able to join us for our second annual Henna Hangout event. 

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About the Location

Red Canoe Studio is an amazing 3000 square foot loft style building located in the upper Beaches residential neighbourhood directly behind Kim and Jerry Brody's personal home at 57 Devon Rd (near Woodbine Ave/Gerrard St). Look for the sign at the front of the house in their garden:

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The building has been converted from an old tool and dye factory into an amazing studio space for all kinds of artists. It was a dye factory! Maybe this was fate....

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It includes a kitchen and dining area as well as a huge space with couches and

chairs for hanging out and running workshops.

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• Directions

  • The studio is located in the coach house behind 57 Devon Rd. which is one block east of Woodbine and 2 houses south of Gerrard on the east side of Devon Rd. Go through the gate at the end of the driveway to the studio behind. Watch for the landmark on the side of the front house, a red canoe.

  • It is a 6-7 min. walk from the TTC -Woodbine Subway Station - or you can take the #92 Woodbine South bus to Gerrard (walking is usually faster). Devon Rd is only one block long so you can only reach it from the south via Cassels or from the north via Gerrard.  

  • If you are flying into Pearson Airport:

    • You can take a free shuttle to Kipling Station, the subway to Woodbine Station and the #92 Woodbine South to Gerrard and then walk a few minutes to 57 Devon Rd. The trip will take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. This is the cheapest option. Directions Here.

    • Or you can get the Express bus to Union Station and make arrangements with us to get picked up from Union. Get Information Here.​

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• Parking

  • There is street parking on Devon Rd, on one side of the street only. Pay attention to the signs, there is no parking after midnight.

  • You may park on either side of Gerrard St.

  • There is also parking on the other side streets; Cassels Ave to the south, at the bottom of the street, and Golfview Ave, the next side street to the east.

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About the Classes

All classes will be held in the one big open space at Red Canoe Studio. 

Everyone will attend the classes as one group (unless otherwise noted).

1. Indian Bridal Henna 101 (beginner to intermediate) 

Divya Patel

Whether you are planning on becoming an expert in bridal henna or not, don't miss out on our guest teacher. She will walk you through Indian bridal layout, fill, and design and help break down this mysterious art form so that it as simple as possible. Her experience, as well as her beautiful designs, will soon have you inspired to try your own hand at elaborate bridal henna.

Not quite ready for Bridal Henna?

Henna Mixology 

Khadijah Yassin

During the Bridal Henna class, anyone who would prefer to learn how to make natural henna paste from scratch is welcome to take this class. You will learn what to add to henna powder in order to release the dye as well as what other ingredients are important for the perfect henna recipe. You will also learn how to roll cones and how to fill them with henna paste.

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2. Festival Designs & Pricing 

Paula Blatchford & Hailey Beitz

Paula & Hailey have been applying henna to festival goers since 2009. While participating in festivals all over Ontario, they have learned how to navigate the festival crowd.

This class will help you choose the best designs for your books and show you how to price your designs so you are successful. We will also touch on how to promote artist's choice and how much money you really need to be making in order to be profitable.

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3. Belly Blessings 

Tarquin Singh & Joanne Rumstein-Ellis

Pre-natal belly henna is relatively new in the history of henna, although henna has been done on pregnant women for thousands of years. In this class we will discuss the idea of honouring pregnancy by using henna as a ritual or ceremony to bring beauty to a pregnant woman's body as well as to help protect her and her baby in the transition to motherhood and life. You will also learn the ins and outs of applying henna to pregnant bellies and things like safety, logistics, placement, and comfort will be discussed in depth. 

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4. Demystifying the Sangeet Strip 

Divya Patel

Once you know some basic henna elements, how do you put them altogether? How do you create a satisfying combination of patterns and designs? Let the master teach you how to make your patterns flow to create the perfect Sangeet Strip. She may even show you how to recreate some of her own famous henna designs.

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5. Symbolism: Traditional and contemporary elements within designs, practice, and space within different cultures 

Binder Tohani

Binder will be sharing with you the magic of henna as part of different cultures and uses of both traditional and contemporary symbols, their meanings and associated significance. Each artist finds their own zone, weaving a variety of elements within their designs, practice and space.  This class will help you discover and take away those elements which will shape and evolve you as an artist and add value to the experience you provide your clients.

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