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story by

 

Courtney Murray

P

olli Youngbeck was destined 

to be an artist, beginning 

to draw at the young 

age of four. “I recall my mother 

showing our neighbor my drawings, 

and our neighbor insisting that no 

4 year old could draw that well… 

she said it must have been traced! 

That’s when my mother pulled out 

stacks of my drawings,” remembers 

Polli. Graduating with a degree in 

design from Auburn University, Polli 

continued her art training in Europe 

at the Universität Salzburg and also 

Heidelberg University. After working 

in advertising in Milwaukee  for a brief 

period she knew in her heart that 

her true passion was painting; which 

soon led to henna. She moved on 

to spread her love of art with others 

by teaching painting and general art 

classes in the Atlanta area, as well 

as here on the Emerald Coast. Polli 

discovered Henna by accident and was 

instantly intrigued. No one was hand 

drawing henna tattoos nine years ago 

anywhere on the beaches between 

Destin and Tampa or Pensacola. “I 

had no idea what I was doing and 

tried to find someone to give me 

guidance, but I couldn’t find anyone 

on the panhandle,” remembers Polli, 

“I think I was the first and only hand 

drawn henna artist within a hundred 

or more miles. I had to learn the hard 

way--jump in and just DO IT!” Henna 

was associated with tattoos by many 

and wasn’t widely accepted at the 

time, so this beautiful new art form 

had to be explained to tourists and 

those interested in getting henna. 

It is now so popular and has such a 

following that Polli teaches classes in 

the summer. 

Henna is an art form rich in tradition 

and for the past five years Polli 

has been doing henna tattoos for 

weddings. Henna is a plant, so it’s all 

organic. Polli mixes her own henna, 

using two different types from Pakistan 

and India that leave a rich reddish 

orange stain on your skin. Using a 

small bottle with tiny metal tip, Polli 

can draw effectively and shade, just 

like a painting. Henna lasts up to a 

month if you leave it on your skin for 

about 24 hours; the longer the henna 

remains against the skin the darker the 

stain. After the drawing is complete, 

Polli taps the drawing with a traditional 

mixture of sugar and lemon juice that 

helps the dye release and also helps 

the henna adhere to the skin. It’s a 

process that requires time, a lot of 

patience, and planning.

Hennas are becoming a unique 

form of expression for one of the 

most important days of your life - your 

wedding day. Polli describes, “As I am 

a professional artist, I’m not limited 

in what I can draw or paint and can 

turn a bride’s henna into a beautiful 

painting and an original expression of 

her special day. I’ve had bridesmaids 

each tell a story on their hands about 

the bride and groom. I think that is a 

wonderful way to incorporate hennas 

into a wedding.” Polli spends a lot 

Wedding

Henna

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1/24/17   6:50 PM