Hannunvaakuna
Jenni let me know ahead of time about her design requests and I was excited to begin sketching. She's originally from Finland, and wanted the looped square symbol "Hannunvaakuna" (believed to ward off bad luck in the old days) as well as snowflakes. I really enjoyed creating this snowy landscape on her pregnant belly.
She brought her daughters as well and after the henna design was complete, I dressed them both up for some photos with them. It's so sweet to include children in pregnancy photos! They were fascinated by the body art their mama was wearing.
#Hannunvaakuna #Finland #snowflakes #henna #motherdaughter #pregnancyart #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #pregnancyrituals #uniquehenna #freehand #bellyhenna #hennabelly
Baby Blue Spruce
When I asked Molly if she had any design ideas, she said "I like anything floral, arboreal and mountainous. Hopefully a combination of all three. Being a Colorado native I’d love to incorporate the mountains. My favorite native flowers include sunflowers, poppies, and columbines. And I love conifers, especially Blue Spruce." These were suggestions I can run with! My Muse was full of ideas and I sketched out several concepts. I loved thinking about columbines and gave myself one on my palm in anticipation. (see earlier post).
Molly arrived and picked out a color she loved (buttery yellow) and I pointed out a few ideas for skirts and she was drawn to a particular one with greens and oranges. She sat on the henna throne, and I adjusted it so her feet were elevated and she was reclining comfortably. After 2 hours and 20 minutes the design was complete and I began taking photos.
#hennapregnantbelly #pregnancyhenna #hennabelly #maternityhenna #boulderhenna #pregnancyart #coloradohenna #babybellyart #hennabellyblessing
Henna takes 2 or 3 days to reach its darkest color and that's when I offer women to return for more photos if that's possible. I love the chance to see my art work again and witness the magical ability of henna to stain the skin. The henna "tattoo" lasts a week or two.
Molly returned with her sweet little boy (3 years old). My studio is equipped with some tiny toys, including a small chair and table for the little people that visit. After playing with the soft plush forest creatures, he wandered over to his mama being photographed and I invited him to join us for some of the photos. What a cutie!
A few days later I finished the photos and sent them to Molly, who said: "Oh SarahKate, these photos are absolutely beautiful!!! Thank you so much for allowing me to take part in this amazing expression. Your work is stunning and I look forward to sharing these pictures with friends and family. Please let me know when your next book is published as I’d love to buy a copy! And thank you for allowing my son to come along for the photos, those two with him are my absolute favorite and make me quite emotional looking at them. They are something I will cherish all my life."
I have self-published 6 books on pregnancy, 1 book focused on women (Sacred Feminine Body Art), and 13 issues of a magazine - Artfull Mother. These projects involved over 1,000 pregnant women! One day in the future I plan to publish a book on pregnancy, one that I hope will reach and inspire millions of women to honor each other in this special way.
#prenatalhenna #naturalhenna #hennastain #hennalove #wildflowers #bluespruce #creativepregnancyphotos #maternityphotoshoot #hennabellydesign #hennatattoo #pregnancybooks #coloradoauthor
Happy Spring!
I'm celebrating the turn of the wheel of the year with flowers blooming, in my life and on my palm. I am grateful for all the beauty in my life.
People ask me if I do other kinds of art besides henna - and the answer is yes! I dabble in a few artistic expressions, and one that I look forward to every year is painting wooden eggs with my dear friend Willow. She paints the eggs a solid color, and then I decorate them with a white paint pen (POSCA pen). It's so fun! Eggs are a powerful spring symbol of renewal... and also of the womb and all the possibilities within.
Lion’s head henna
One thing I love about my work is all the inspiration I receive from the women that come and see me. I ask if they have any ideas for the design when they make the appointment. I love it when I'm given direction - it sets my Muse running with ideas.
Ella, a first time mama, told me she wanted a lion head for her henna design. Compelling! I've created several designs including lions in the past and I was excited to create a new, fresh design. She had mentioned an ocean theme as well, so incorporated a hibiscus flower on one side and a crashing wave on the other side. It took 2 hours to adorn this pregnant belly - here she is in the henna throne right after adornment. She is glowing!
We stepped outside into my backyard and found some natural sunlight and green in the pine trees to photograph with. It was winter in Colorado, but not too cold to be out for a few minutes.
Afterwards her husband came into the studio and I photographed them together. What a sweet couple! The photos took about a half hour.
She returned to my studio 4 days later for more photos. How dark the henna will be is always a mystery. It was beautiful to behold!
#lion #parentstobe #bellyblessing #maternityhenna #bouldercolorado #boulderhenna #henna #pregnancyphotoshoot #hennabelly
Books are Open
Hello friends! In case you missed it, my new studio in central Boulder is now open for henna sessions. Come sit in the henna throne to be adorned with your intentions, your visions. Currently my books are open. If you have a spring or summer Mother Blessing book ahead of time - let me know the date - because this is one of my busiest times of year.
I've been doing a lot of sketches as I get requests from pregnant mamas that inspire me. It's really opening up something special in me. Something I've always wanted to do but never quite had the time or space to create. Now I do!
Recently I had a woman request a lion head for her prenatal henna design and I had such a fabulous time sketching ideas. Working in pencil is actually new for me and I love how I can erase and retry lines. Here I am putting the final touches on the lion - wow! I love how it came out.
Birds in a Tree
Miranda arrived for her appointment at 11am and we began with picking colors to dress up in and she was drawn to purple. I showed her some ideas I'd sketched out - she had requested birds in a tree - and she liked different parts of all of them. Also, can you add in a sunflower? Yes!
She sat in my special henna throne and I adorned her until the art felt complete, about 1pm. I photographed her for about a half hour, changing colors halfway through. I love how colors shift the energy and bring certain things out. It's a beautiful process to witness and capture as the photographer.
I'm so grateful to be creating my favorite kind of art again! It makes me so happy to honor motherhood, especially for women coming into it for the first time. This rite of passage is so important to acknowledge and feels so meaningful to do so.
#thirdtimester #pregnancyhenna #bellyhenna #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #pregnancy #mamatobe #boulderhennaartist #hennapro #mamajourney
Sometimes the henna stain is very light on the belly, even if the mama follows all the aftercare. Hands always stain well because the skin is thicker there - the further away we are from the hands, the less predictable the henna stain will be. Some people’s skin simply does not take henna very well, and my experience is that I can’t tell who that will be. Their skin seems the same to me, but for whatever reason the henna doesn’t stain it very well. For this reason, I can’t guarantee how dark the henna will get.
Henna for multiple pregnancies
Here's some henna from many years ago... In 2014 I adorned this mama for her first pregnancy every month for 6 months in a sweet butterfly progression!
She returned in 2018 for her 2nd pregnancy. It's so sweet to celebrate multiple pregnancies with mamas.
#naturalhenna #maternityshoot #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #pregnantbelly #hennabelly #hennabutterfly #henna #sarahkatebutterworth
Year of the Dragon Pregnancy Henna
When Nicola came in she was really open about design ideas, telling me that she really loved all of the art she'd seen on my website. I prefer to get some kind of starting point with pregnancy art, because this is the adornment that will hold her intentions for her pregnancy, for her baby. After some discussion, it was revealed that she loved that this was the Year of the Dragon: a particularly lucky year to have a baby. Also, flowers.
I am so excited to be painting henna dragons again! It was 12 years ago that I got my first request for Year of the Dragon henna and since then I've been aware of what animal each year is. The Dragon is divine and powerful, and children born this year are said to be blessed with intelligence, confidence and ambition.
Nicola sat in my new Art Studio in central Boulder for 2 hours while I adorned her belly and hand. She felt the peaceful energy of the sanctuary for women I've been co-creating for months with the help of several wonderful people in my life. I feel a deep satisfaction from celebrating pregnancy with ritual and art, and I'm so grateful to be doing this again, in a new space.
For a henna session, do not message me on social media, please contact me directly through text 303-345-1516 or email SKB@SarahKateButterworth.com
#boulderhenna #prenatalhenna #yearofthedragon #dragonhenna #hennabelllyblessing #pregnancyart #sarahkatebutterworth #coloradohenna
A couple days later, when the henna was peaking in color, we took more photos in my studio. I love the color of a natural henna stain. This mama is glowing with joy!
#glowingmama #coloradohenna #boulderhenna #prenatalhenna #motherblessing #dragon #bellyhenna #maternityshoot
Year of the Dragon
Happy Year of the Dragon, friends! This is some henna I created for myself to honor the playful, powerful dragon energy that is rolling with delight into my life.
I am excited to announce the opening of my NEW Art Studio in central Boulder (private appointments only - not open to the public).
I am also making another call for pregnant models and continuing to dive deeper into my passion to celebrate this incredible rite of passage.
Remember, the best way to get ahold of me for a henna session is not through social media messaging (since I only have a very casual relationship with it) but contact me directly:
email skb@sarahkatebutterworth.com or text 303-345-1516
Are you due in 2024? Would you like to be a model? Read about it here…
Elephants in the shade of a tree
Katie expressed an interest in a rainbow, a tree and a few elephants. After adorning her, we stepped outside for a few photos.
Katie returned a few days later when her henna was peaking in color and we took some photos at a beautiful location just on the outskirts of Boulder, Colorado.
Summer Solstice due date
Summer Solstice due date: this baby is due when the hours of daylight are at the maximum. In preparation for this session I pondered the power of the Sun, and also the Moon. So many women find symbolism in the moon phases,marking the time as the moon shifts.
Included in the design is a feeling of motion, depicted in the waves of water, flowing with the movement. “All that falls shall rise again" This concept has become a common request, to honor that some things are being born anew, and old things leaving, dying.
Some mamas hold grief along with the joy of birth.
#prenatalhenna #motherblessing #hennapower #bellyhenna #bellyblessing #bellybump #pregnancyhenna #maternityhenna #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #maternityshoot #sarahkatebutterworth
I sit with this new mama’s intentions and visions, and adorn, petal by petal. Weaving in the meaningful symbols requested and hearing the stories behind them.
It feels like such a blessing, to get to be an artist that creates such meaningful art - both to myself and the receiver.
#hennaartist #hennalove #hennapro #meettheartist #babybumpart #offersoflove #hennaart #blessings #womenswisdom #womenswork #sarahkatebutterworth #boulderhenna
This beautiful new mama returned for photos a few days after henna application and we began in the studio, then traveled to a gorgeous local trail.
Recently in Boulder we've had hazy skies due to a fire in Canada. You can see some smoky Flatirons and the foothills. I find beauty in all weather!
Natural henna stains peak in color after 2 to 3 days and photo sessions aren't delayed due to the weather- though in this case we didn't stay out too long in the smoky air.
Still, she is glowing, the flowers are blooming, the sage is fresh and new.
Whatever is happening in the world, I will still be meeting with mamas to honor their passage into Motherhood.
#mamajourney #maternityart #pregnancy #bouldercolorado #coloradomamas #mamahenna #outdoorslife #pregnantbeauty #maternityphotography #boulderphotography
Horse leaping in the meadow under the moon.
Some women really feel very inspired during pregnancy and come with several images and ideas to incorporate into their henna design. I love getting this input! She had told me beforehand about the horse and I wanted to try something new. Lilies of many kinds also found their way into this belly art.
#hennahorse #allnaturalhenna #boulderhenna #hennabelly #bouldercolorado #firstimemama #celebratelife #pregnantlife #pregnantbelly #uniquehenna #maternityhenna #sarahkatebutterworth
I spent about 2 hours adorning her and then we went for a walk outside and photographed her with some new leaves just coming out. Spring in Colorado is beautiful, it feels like a long time since I’ve seen this new shade of green.
#pregnancyphotoshoot #hennabelly #bellyhenna #pregnant #maternity #maternityphotoshoot #coloradophotographer #boulderphotographer #bouldercolorado #expecting #maternitystyle
She returned a few days later for more photographs when the natural henna stain was peaking in color, which happens after 2 to 3 days. We took some photos in the studio then headed out to a gorgeous location in Boulder, Colorado. The sun was setting and this beautiful first time mama was glowing. I love that I get to witness such beauty!
#pregnancyphotography #henna #pregnantstyle #bouldercolorado #maternityphotographer #naturalhennastain #hennabelly #maternityart #boulderhenna #bellyart #sarahkatebutterworth
Green Goddess of Early Spring
Green Goddess of Early Spring
I love meeting women who are about to transition into motherhood! This beautiful woman is another first time mother. I loved that she gave me some artistic direction by requesting something mandala - like, but gave me artistic freedom to create the details.
#hennabelly #boulderhenna #ritual #honoringmothers #journeytomotherhood #womenswork #riteofpassage #mandala #coloradoartist #meetthemaker #creativewomen #artistmom #creativity #artsymama #sarahkatebutterworth
She returned for photos a few days later and we took some in the studio, then headed outside. In one of these photos you can see behind the scenes - my lovely photo assistant helping to light the pregnant mama. The first few green blades of grass were beginning to come up! So exciting to see green again here in Colorado. She took off her shoes and walked on the earth… so beautiful.
#maternityhenna #hennabellyblessing #bouldermamas #pregnancyart #naturalhenna #hennastain #mamacelebration #bouldercolorado #boulderhenna #sarahkatebutterworth
Mountains and birds
This sweet pregnant woman came in with ideas of eagles or hawks, a tree of life and a mountain landscape. I loved creating this design, and lost myself in the details of this art. Layers of sediment, bushes and flowers were also incorporated.
#bellyblessing #uniquehenna #maternityhenna #thirdtrimester #coloradohenna #rockymountains #pregnancyrituals #pregnancyart #hennapro #freehand #prenatal #sarahkatebutterworth
She returned for more photos after a couple days and we traveled to some local ponds to capture her pregnant beauty at sunset. My wonderful photography assistant photographed me taking photos as well!
#pregnancyphotography #maternityphotoshoot #henna #pregnantstyle #bouldercolorado #maternityphotographer #naturalhennastain #floral #hennabelly #maternityart #boulderhenna #bellyart #sarahkatebutterworth
Flowers and bird
Hi, my name is SarahKate and I love to paint with the unique medium of henna. In this way, I live my purpose: celebrating the incredible transformation into Motherhood with artistic rituals. I feel such creative satisfaction in hearing a woman's visions and then spending a couple hours shaping the images. I am guided by my Muse, who tells me when the art is truly finished.
If you are curious what it means to have a muse, I invite you to watch Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk, Your Elusive Creative Genius. Your Elusive Creative Genius
In this image I have painted a bird, representing the father, who enjoys flying through the air (paragliding).
This is the mother’s 2nd child, and a rose represents her 1st child.
#bellyhenna #hennabelly #boulderhenna #hennaartist #localartist #coloradoartist #meetthemaker #creativewomen #artistmom #creativity #artsymama #sarahkatebutterworth
It’s so meaningful to me to honor pregnant women with art!
#naturalhenna #maternityshoot #maternityhenna #pregnantbelly #hennabird #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #pregnancyhenna #hennabelly #henna #sarahkatebutterworth
It was a beautiful day in Boulder, Colorado and we took photos inside the studio and then headed out to a beautiful trail for more photos. Gorgeous goddess!
#naturalhennastain #hennastain #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #bouldercolorado #henna #hennabelly #sarahkatebutteworth #maternityphotoshoot #pregnancyphotoshoot #maternityphotographer
Flowery Moon
What season were you pregnant in?
I love getting outside to capture the beauty of the season along with the beauty of pregnancy. This is my favorite type of art to create.
#winterpregnancy #winterhenna #moonhenna
This lovely pregnant mama came in with a request for a moon. I loved creating this design for her. As I was adorning her, my photography assistant took this photo of me doing henna, and you can see the henna on my palm. The palm can stain very dark!
#bellyhenna #hennabelly #boulderhenna #colordadohenna #pregnancyhenna #henna #hennaartist #naturalhenna #bellyblessing #prenatal #bellybump #localartist #moon #sarahkatebutterworth
She returned when the henna was peaking in color for more photos. We stepped outside and got some photos by the little creek in my neighborhood.
#allnaturalhenna #boulderhenna #hennabelly #bouldercolorado #firstimemama #celebratelife #pregnantlife #pregnantbelly #uniquehenna #maternityhenna #sarahkatebutterworth #hennastain
Cycles of life
This mama-to-be had a couple requests. The first was that I add something reflecting the cycles of life into her henna. I pondered on this for days, until I saw this swirling image - the wheel of the year, the spinning of time. In my mind I saw energies stretching up - the flower opening. I also saw energy heading down, back to the earth to be composted. I showed her an example when she arrived and added many flowery adaptations.
Her 2nd request was a Hamsa. The Hamsa is a protective symbol, and it also represents blessings, power and strength. I placed this on her hand so she could continue to see it when her belly was covered and remember her blessing.
#hennarequests #hennalove #freestyle #nostencil #hennadesign #hennapro #hamsahand #eyeofprotection #hennablessing #maternityart #boulderhenna #hamsa #bodyart #cycles #sarahkatebutterworth
This sweet mama-to-be returned a couple days later for photos. This is when the henna is peaking in color. Henna naturally stains the skin and then exfoliates away, with the design lasting 1 to 2 weeks.
It was cold - it’s winter in Colorado! There’s a wonderful little trail near my studio that we walked on, capturing her beauty with the winter landscape.
#pregnancyphotography #maternityphotoshoot #henna #pregnantstyle #bouldercolorado #maternityphotographer #naturalhennastain #floral #hennabelly #maternityart #boulderhenna #bellyart #sarahkatebutterworth
Henna through Birth
This wonderful mama came in with a request for a tree, and I was excited to show her an idea for a tree I’d drawn in my journal. This design took about 2 hours to create.
#henna #hennabelly #boulderhenna #pregnancyhenna #maternityshoot #freehand #maternityart #hennaart #bumphenna #mamahenna #treedesign #maternityart #sarahkatebutterworth
We took a few photos in the studio, then walked outside to capture her beauty outside in the snow.
#pregnancyphotography #maternityphotoshoot #henna #pregnantstyle #bouldercolorado #tree #hennabelly #maternityart #boulderhenna #bellyart #sarahkatebutterworth
She returned for more photos in the studio when the henna was peaking in color. To my surprise, a few days later, she gave birth and sent me a photo from the hospital showing her brand new baby laying on her henna belly. What a delight! I asked if my photography assistant and I could visit her and take some baby photos, and she thought it was a great idea.
#newborn #bellyhenna #allnaturalhenna #postpartum #henna #birth #baby #bodyart #motherhood #mother #ritesofpassage #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #hennaforbirth #sarahkatebutterworth
The baby in these photos is just 3 days old! What a precious dear one. I loved seeing this beautiful woman’s transformation into motherhood.
#womensart #hennadesigns #hennaadventures #baby #newborn #postpartumphotoshoot #empoweredbirth #hennabelly #sarahkatebutterworth #coloradomamas #hennastain
A Sacred Rite of Passage
What does a modern day Mother’s Blessing look like? I have been to over a hundred different gatherings of women like this, and each one is unique. It is one of my absolute favorite things to witness: to see women caring for each other, pledging their love and support, creating rituals to honor the rite of passage into Motherhood.
This particular celebration of pregnancy was by far the most impressive! It included many blessings, speaking aloud the blessings offered with each bead in the necklace that was formed as they strung it all together. It included a lot of flower petals - sacred mandalas the women created that were later showered over the new mother. There were women on the couch, stitching embroidery into a baby blanket. I spent 2 hours adorning this beautiful mama, and then did a little photoshoot. Then they all DANCED together! And most impressive - the father-to-be was outside with his circle of friends, having his own ceremony around the fire. Afterwards the men came inside and there was a joyous feast.
Many people refer to this as a Blessingway, but that is a specific Native American tradition for the rite of passage. What we create is not a #blessingway, since that is not our heritage and we are not invoking the traditional spirits and so forth. Instead, this is a #MotherBlessing.
#ritual #mothersblessing #rewildingwomen #motherblessingceremony #blessings #bellyblessing #honoringmothers #ceremony #wombyn #divinefeminine #womensupportingwomen #sisterhood #mamablessing #journeytomotherhood #sisterlove #sacred #babyshowerideas #femaleempowerment #sacredfeminine #womenswork #mothersceremony #riteofpassage #womenscircle #sacredcircle #modernsacredcircle #togetherwerise #sarahkatebutterworth
What an incredible celebration this was! When I arrived, the women paused their ritual and the mama-to-be told me about her design ideas. She brought out this gorgeous, detailed image of a kind of tree of life, with each branch containing a different animal - probably over a hundred were pictured! She wanted me to include as many animals as I could, as well as an unborn baby.
As I went along I received specific requests for a fern,mushroom, moon, stars and worm. So creative! I am grateful to get to spontaneously stretch my artistic skills like this!
#unbornbaby #mushroom #turtle #elephant #hennabelly #pregnancycelebration #bellyblessing #boulderhenna #coloradohenna #mamatobe #motherhood #prenatalhenna #adornment #hennaart #sarahkatebutterworth
Moose, Spruce and Acorn
The process of getting a henna design is one of co-creation! I love listening to women tell me their ideas and then I allow them to spontaneously come together. This particular design took 3 hours to create, other designs take about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
After we discuss design ideas, women are welcome to dress up colorful silky things before we begin. The mama (or mama-to-be) sits in my special henna throne for adornment, relaxing with her feet up and pillows supporting her. I always take a moment to create sacred space and set intentions. Sometimes, this is the first ritual a woman has to honor her rite of passage. When the design is complete, I always take photographs in my home studio.
#ritual #sacredart #empoweringwomen #sacredspace #riteofpassage #bodyart #mothertobe #babybump #prenatalhenna #expectingmom #creativewomen #hennabelly #hennaartist #sarahkatebutterworth
I love it when mamas come to me with unique ideas! This mama was pregnant with her 3rd child, and told me her family has a tradition to name the fetus - the first unborn baby was referred to as Moose, the second as Acorn, and this little one is Spruce.
As soon as I heard this I started envisioning a mountain scene and I really love how it all came together! There was a lot of detail in this adornment, which took 3 hours to complete.
#moose #acron #spruce #fetusname #henna #bellyblessing #uniquehenna #maternityhenna #thirdtrimester #coloradohenna #pregnancyrituals #pregnancyart #hennapro #freehand #prenatal #sarahkatebutterworth
After this sweet mama’s henna adornment, we took a few photos in the studio. I’ve been collecting all kinds of beautiful silks and skirts for over decades now and I love this part of the session - the part that feels like dress-up. 20 years ago, my young daughters were dressing each other up in my many skirts and silks, and I credit them for encouraging me to dress up the lovely pregnant women that came into our home then.
#bumpstyle #pregnantandbeautiful #maternityportraits #boulderphotographer #henna #inspirepregnancy #bouldermaternityphotographer #bouldercolorado #maternityshoot #maternity #sarahkatebutterworth
This mama returned for a snowy photoshoot when her henna was peaking in color! The dark henna paste comes off after a few hours and then the design takes 2 or 3 days to come to it’s darkest color - which is different for each woman.
It was cold, and this mama wore her coat in between shots.
#coloradohenna #maternityphotography #pregnantbellyart #hennabelly #boulderhennaartist #boulderhenna #maternityart #babybumpart #hennamountain #pregnancyphotos #coloradomamas #sarahkatebutterworth
