Those who know me best know me as Tee or NailGurl, and I am your everyday unfiltered New Yorker in hot pursuit of taking nail art beyond nails. What makes 2014’s NAILS Next Top Nail Artist important to me first and foremost is that Jan Arnold saved my nail career. Before nails, I delved into my own art heavily and felt a conflict that made me question my nail career path initially. Then a light came on during CND’s Main Stage Presentation in 2012, and I realized that art has no set category. Nail art helped me to break the glass ceiling that was holding me back from unleashing my creativity. What sets me apart from everyone else is that I am brutally honest when it comes to all things nail-related. I don’t believe that nails are just nails, and I don’t believe that all nail art is created equal. It is something that should be respected and not frowned upon. I eat, sleep, and think about nails….so much so that I live in my nail room heavily. Professionally, I have opted out of handling human digits and made JUST NAIL ART my livelihood. In the midst of burying myself into a serious “nail art” state of mind, I have been lucky enough to have bonded with thousands of lovely nail enthusiasts via social media who have appreciated my quirky aesthetic.