<p>2nd Place:</p>
<p>Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Lecture&rdquo; by Pablo Picasso</p>

2nd Place:

Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada

“The Lecture” by Pablo Picasso

<p>3rd Place: Shiori Durham, Port Orchard, Wash.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Girl With a Pearl Earring&rdquo; by Johannes Vermeer</p>

3rd Place: Shiori Durham, Port Orchard, Wash.

“Girl With a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio</p>
<p>&ldquo;Wading Egret&rdquo; by Ohara Koson</p>

Honorable Mention:

Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio

“Wading Egret” by Ohara Koson

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Blue Dogs and Cajuns on the River&rdquo; by George Rodrigue</p>

Honorable Mention:

Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.

“Blue Dogs and Cajuns on the River” by George Rodrigue

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Heather Temple, Pittsburgh</p>
<p>&ldquo;Colored Rain&rdquo; by Banksy</p>

Honorable Mention:

Heather Temple, Pittsburgh

“Colored Rain” by Banksy

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Ballerina&rdquo; by Andrew Atroshenko</p>

Honorable Mention:

Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.

“Ballerina” by Andrew Atroshenko

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Isabelle Racine, Lonqueuil, Quebec, Canada</p>
<p>&ldquo;Lilac Irises&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>

2015 Entry:

Isabelle Racine, Lonqueuil, Quebec, Canada

“Lilac Irises” by Claude Monet

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Halley Fortenberry, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Per Capita&rdquo; by Jean-Michel Basquiat</p>

2015 Entry:

Halley Fortenberry, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

“Per Capita” by Jean-Michel Basquiat

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Emily Nash, Elkhart, Ind.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Mona Lisa&rdquo; by Leonardo da Vinci</p>

2015 Entry:

Emily Nash, Elkhart, Ind.

“Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci

<p>2015 Entry: Ashley Loveridge,</p>
<p>Lords Valley, Pa.</p>
<p>&ldquo;King of Clubs&rdquo; by Alberto Vargas</p>

2015 Entry: Ashley Loveridge,

Lords Valley, Pa.

“King of Clubs” by Alberto Vargas

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Tina Mullinax, Anniston, Ala.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Head of a Woman (aka La Scapigliata)&rdquo; by Leonardo da Vinci</p>

2015 Entry:

Tina Mullinax, Anniston, Ala.

“Head of a Woman (aka La Scapigliata)” by Leonardo da Vinci

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Tiffany Robertson, Bella Vista, Ark.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Tourn&eacute;e du Chat Noir de Rodolphe Salis&rdquo; by Theophile Steinlen</p>

2015 Entry:

Tiffany Robertson, Bella Vista, Ark.

“Tournée du Chat Noir de Rodolphe Salis” by Theophile Steinlen

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View all
<p>2nd Place:</p>
<p>Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Lecture&rdquo; by Pablo Picasso</p>
1/12
 
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2nd Place:

Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada

“The Lecture” by Pablo Picasso

<p>3rd Place: Shiori Durham, Port Orchard, Wash.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Girl With a Pearl Earring&rdquo; by Johannes Vermeer</p>
2/12
 
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3rd Place: Shiori Durham, Port Orchard, Wash.

“Girl With a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio</p>
<p>&ldquo;Wading Egret&rdquo; by Ohara Koson</p>
3/12
 
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Honorable Mention:

Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio

“Wading Egret” by Ohara Koson

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Blue Dogs and Cajuns on the River&rdquo; by George Rodrigue</p>
4/12
 
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Honorable Mention:

Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.

“Blue Dogs and Cajuns on the River” by George Rodrigue

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Heather Temple, Pittsburgh</p>
<p>&ldquo;Colored Rain&rdquo; by Banksy</p>
5/12
 
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Honorable Mention:

Heather Temple, Pittsburgh

“Colored Rain” by Banksy

<p>Honorable Mention:</p>
<p>Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Ballerina&rdquo; by Andrew Atroshenko</p>
6/12
 
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Honorable Mention:

Amber Dunson, Bossier City, La.

“Ballerina” by Andrew Atroshenko

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Isabelle Racine, Lonqueuil, Quebec, Canada</p>
<p>&ldquo;Lilac Irises&rdquo; by Claude Monet</p>
7/12
 
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2015 Entry:

Isabelle Racine, Lonqueuil, Quebec, Canada

“Lilac Irises” by Claude Monet

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Halley Fortenberry, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Per Capita&rdquo; by Jean-Michel Basquiat</p>
8/12
 
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2015 Entry:

Halley Fortenberry, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

“Per Capita” by Jean-Michel Basquiat

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Emily Nash, Elkhart, Ind.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Mona Lisa&rdquo; by Leonardo da Vinci</p>
9/12
 
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2015 Entry:

Emily Nash, Elkhart, Ind.

“Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci

<p>2015 Entry: Ashley Loveridge,</p>
<p>Lords Valley, Pa.</p>
<p>&ldquo;King of Clubs&rdquo; by Alberto Vargas</p>
10/12
 
Slider

2015 Entry: Ashley Loveridge,

Lords Valley, Pa.

“King of Clubs” by Alberto Vargas

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Tina Mullinax, Anniston, Ala.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Head of a Woman (aka La Scapigliata)&rdquo; by Leonardo da Vinci</p>
11/12
 
Slider

2015 Entry:

Tina Mullinax, Anniston, Ala.

“Head of a Woman (aka La Scapigliata)” by Leonardo da Vinci

<p>2015 Entry:</p>
<p>Tiffany Robertson, Bella Vista, Ark.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Tourn&eacute;e du Chat Noir de Rodolphe Salis&rdquo; by Theophile Steinlen</p>
12/12
 
Slider

2015 Entry:

Tiffany Robertson, Bella Vista, Ark.

“Tournée du Chat Noir de Rodolphe Salis” by Theophile Steinlen

Meet the Winner

“I think most any artist, nails and otherwise, would agree that we are our own worst critics,” says Amber Dunson, a nail tech at Destiny Day Spa & Salon in Bossier City, La. “I had several entries and I almost didn’t enter this one because I didn’t think it was good enough. So you can imagine how winning for this one makes me feel — it’s such an incredible honor.”

Dunson selected the iconic Life magazine photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt of an American sailor kissing a woman in Times Square on V-J (Victory over Japan) Day in 1945. “I love that it’s black and white. It’s such a great piece of history and the story behind it is awesome,” she says. She spent an hour and a half on the nail tip and says the facial features were the hardest part. “Faces have always been my downfall in any art I’ve done, but working on such a small scale, it’s even more of a task. The tiniest detail can make or break the whole thing.”

She started with a base of white gel-polish. The art was done using acrylic paints and topped with a gel top coat. “I used a small detail brush and black and white paints only, mixing the different shades as I worked,” she says. “It’s important when working with acrylic paints to make sure they are thinned down with water. You get much better detail and it’s easier to work with.”

To see photo galleries featuring past Mini Masterpiece Contest winners, go to www.nailsmag.com/minimaster.

Photography by Kelly Bracken and Kimberly Pham

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