About
Meet The Artist
Hey, I'm Shelby
" Everyone has a story, as a young child, I always loved to create art- I liked that it made people smile, and from a young age, I knew I wanted to make a difference with my creations by bringing joy, beauty and connection. My henna journey began when, as a teenager, I applied henna on myself and a family friend (who is like a second mum to me) saw my design and immediately offered her skin as my canvas to practice on. Each week I would do different designs for her, and each time, she would request a peacock feather to be tucked into the pattern somehow, as her father did for her in biro as a child. And so began my obsession with henna. "
" I loved the connection that it bought, talking about life, relaxing in my parents conservatory, and laughing together.
As I found myself becoming more in love with this beautiful art form, I wanted to do more, and needed to learn more about it- so I went on a course in London to learn about mixing henna and applying bridal designs.
I started going to small events and markets, then in 2016 I rebranded to The Henna Peacock, to re-connect with my roots, and to remember and honour those days with Rita and my mum. "
" When henna adorns the hands, life takes on a new colour " -Anon
" Since then, I've had the privilege to work with many amazing and inspiring people, and with every design that I do, my love for this incredible plant only grows. It has opened my eyes to new ways of life and taken me down a spiritual path. Through the years, I have had several bouts of depression and anxiety, and on the darkest days the only thing I could like about myself was the henna stains on my skin. It helped me reconnect with the beauty in the world around me, and helped me see myself in a more positive light and to this day, henna helps me to love and accept myself. My aim is to create joy and beauty with my art, and to make a positive impact for the earth and to the clients I serve. "
" Flowers adorned her hands, a smile played on her lips and her eyes shone bright as she claimed her story and embraced her power "
" It's important to take care of yourself to feel empowered and ready to deal with life. I created The Henna Peacock boutique to be a safe space for you to just be yourself without apology or judgement, and to be pampered with designs as unique as you are that embody your style and personality. "