Wow, what a powerful experience it is to be an artist and create meaningful art! This amazing mama was wonderful to work with and came with a long list of design elements - she said I didn't have to include them all - but somehow they all fit!

Pregnancy Design Elements:
(listed in the order we explored)
-  Mountains and forest
-  Lotus Flower and other flowers
-  Sun and Moon

As we looked through ideas, I remembered a design in my journal that I had been working on recently - I was excited to finally have the best canvas to express this art! 

I took my time and filled in lots of details - the moon and sun ended up on her hand with the rest on her belly. I knew I was on the right track when I noticed that I had completely lost track of the time. This work of art took about 2 1/2 hours. 

  She returned for more photos a few days later and it was a warm, bright spring day. The sky was clear and the greenery felt abundant. I loved capturing the forest on her belly with all the trees around her, the leaves reaching down to bless her belly too. 

When I shared the final photos with her, she posted them on social media and said:

"I did a thing yesterday that I probably would have never done years ago. I decided to lean into some self-love and do something unique in these final weeks of pregnancy. Henna is an ancient tradition used to celebrate milestones and adorn the woman.

This was my way of connecting with my body and baby 2 in a creative, artistic, and healing way. And it’s beautiful. It’s feminine. It made me forget the discomfort and waiting game of these final weeks and embrace the magic of pregnancy.

The body is really an amazing thing. What women are capable of is amazing. Though life is about to become 10x more chaotic, unknown, challenging, there is such beauty and blossoming in the mess.

That’s where the lotus comes in. No mud, no lotus.

Thank you @artfullmother [my name on Instagram] for this beautiful art and gift."   

  Simply email me if you would like to set up a time to be adorned with henna & photographed.

  I have packages that include a henna session and finished, high resolution photos as well as a printed book!

  SKB@SarahKateButterworth.com

  And of course feel free to sign up for my newsletter - you can read my JULY 2019 ArtUpdate and sign up here!