Swedish nail artist Iryna Giblett was so upset to hear of Tom’s passing that she sent us this...

Swedish nail artist Iryna Giblett was so upset to hear of Tom’s passing that she sent us this beautiful tribute.

Tom was always so much fun to be around at shoots. Here in 2004.

Tom was always so much fun to be around at shoots. Here in 2004.

Tom doing the cover nails for the April 2004 issue of NAILS.

Tom doing the cover nails for the April 2004 issue of NAILS.

Tom even pitched in to help on a photo shoot in 2004.

Tom even pitched in to help on a photo shoot in 2004.

Tom handing out awards at the Japan Nail Olympics in 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Tom handing out awards at the Japan Nail Olympics in 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Tom with Harmony founder and fellow nail tech Danny Haile and NAILS editor Hannah Lee in Hawaii...

Tom with Harmony founder and fellow nail tech Danny Haile and NAILS editor Hannah Lee in Hawaii in 2006 for the Japan Nail Olympics.

Tom doing a demo at the Entity booth.

Tom doing a demo at the Entity booth.

"The Two Toms" founded Entity Beauty in 2005.

"The Two Toms" founded Entity Beauty in 2005.

Tom Holcomb (left) and Tom Bachik (right) each did one hand for the May 2005 NAILS Magazine cover.

Tom Holcomb (left) and Tom Bachik (right) each did one hand for the May 2005 NAILS Magazine cover.

Tom's long-time model and protege Alisha Rimando Botero joined him at Entity.

Tom's long-time model and protege Alisha Rimando Botero joined him at Entity.

An old photo of Tom Holcomb in his early competition days.

An old photo of Tom Holcomb in his early competition days.

An early photo of Tom with his many nail competition awards.

An early photo of Tom with his many nail competition awards.

In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
Behind the scenes for the April 2000 cover shoot for NAILS Magazine, Tom joins Danny Haile (of...

Behind the scenes for the April 2000 cover shoot for NAILS Magazine, Tom joins Danny Haile (of EZ Flow, at the time) and Eriko Kurosaki.

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.

With his cover model Marisa Ramirez at the April 2000 cover photo shoot for NAILS.

With his cover model Marisa Ramirez at the April 2000 cover photo shoot for NAILS.

Tom was always a fierce competitor.

Tom was always a fierce competitor.

On the competition floor with his then-model Alisha Rimando Botero.

On the competition floor with his then-model Alisha Rimando Botero.

He was always looking stylish at competitions.

He was always looking stylish at competitions.

Speaking to a group of nail technicians at a networking event in the early 2000s.

Speaking to a group of nail technicians at a networking event in the early 2000s.

The Two Toms (Bachik and Holcomb) were both fierce competitors and they came together to form...

The Two Toms (Bachik and Holcomb) were both fierce competitors and they came together to form Entity Beauty in 2005.

Working the EZ Flow booth at a trade show in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

Working the EZ Flow booth at a trade show in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

Tom won overall grand champion at the Nailympics.

Tom won overall grand champion at the Nailympics.

With fellow competitors John Hauk (center) and Karin Strom at the Nailympics.

With fellow competitors John Hauk (center) and Karin Strom at the Nailympics.

In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
1/28
 
View all
Swedish nail artist Iryna Giblett was so upset to hear of Tom’s passing that she sent us this...
1/28
 
Slider

Swedish nail artist Iryna Giblett was so upset to hear of Tom’s passing that she sent us this beautiful tribute.

Tom was always so much fun to be around at shoots. Here in 2004.
2/28
 
Slider

Tom was always so much fun to be around at shoots. Here in 2004.

Tom doing the cover nails for the April 2004 issue of NAILS.
3/28
 
Slider

Tom doing the cover nails for the April 2004 issue of NAILS.

Tom even pitched in to help on a photo shoot in 2004.
4/28
 
Slider

Tom even pitched in to help on a photo shoot in 2004.

Tom handing out awards at the Japan Nail Olympics in 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
5/28
 
Slider

Tom handing out awards at the Japan Nail Olympics in 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Tom with Harmony founder and fellow nail tech Danny Haile and NAILS editor Hannah Lee in Hawaii...
6/28
 
Slider

Tom with Harmony founder and fellow nail tech Danny Haile and NAILS editor Hannah Lee in Hawaii in 2006 for the Japan Nail Olympics.

Tom doing a demo at the Entity booth.
7/28
 
Slider

Tom doing a demo at the Entity booth.

"The Two Toms" founded Entity Beauty in 2005.
8/28
 
Slider

"The Two Toms" founded Entity Beauty in 2005.

Tom Holcomb (left) and Tom Bachik (right) each did one hand for the May 2005 NAILS Magazine cover.
9/28
 
Slider

Tom Holcomb (left) and Tom Bachik (right) each did one hand for the May 2005 NAILS Magazine cover.

Tom's long-time model and protege Alisha Rimando Botero joined him at Entity.
10/28
 
Slider

Tom's long-time model and protege Alisha Rimando Botero joined him at Entity.

An old photo of Tom Holcomb in his early competition days.
11/28
 
Slider

An old photo of Tom Holcomb in his early competition days.

An early photo of Tom with his many nail competition awards.
12/28
 
Slider

An early photo of Tom with his many nail competition awards.

In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
13/28
 
Slider
In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
14/28
 
Slider
In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
15/28
 
Slider
Behind the scenes for the April 2000 cover shoot for NAILS Magazine, Tom joins Danny Haile (of...
16/28
 
Slider

Behind the scenes for the April 2000 cover shoot for NAILS Magazine, Tom joins Danny Haile (of EZ Flow, at the time) and Eriko Kurosaki.

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.
17/28
 
Slider

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.
18/28
 
Slider

Behind the scenes for a cover shoot for NAILS in April 2000.

With his cover model Marisa Ramirez at the April 2000 cover photo shoot for NAILS.
19/28
 
Slider

With his cover model Marisa Ramirez at the April 2000 cover photo shoot for NAILS.

Tom was always a fierce competitor.
20/28
 
Slider

Tom was always a fierce competitor.

On the competition floor with his then-model Alisha Rimando Botero.
21/28
 
Slider

On the competition floor with his then-model Alisha Rimando Botero.

He was always looking stylish at competitions.
22/28
 
Slider

He was always looking stylish at competitions.

Speaking to a group of nail technicians at a networking event in the early 2000s.
23/28
 
Slider

Speaking to a group of nail technicians at a networking event in the early 2000s.

The Two Toms (Bachik and Holcomb) were both fierce competitors and they came together to form...
24/28
 
Slider

The Two Toms (Bachik and Holcomb) were both fierce competitors and they came together to form Entity Beauty in 2005.

Working the EZ Flow booth at a trade show in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
25/28
 
Slider

Working the EZ Flow booth at a trade show in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

Tom won overall grand champion at the Nailympics.
26/28
 
Slider

Tom won overall grand champion at the Nailympics.

With fellow competitors John Hauk (center) and Karin Strom at the Nailympics.
27/28
 
Slider

With fellow competitors John Hauk (center) and Karin Strom at the Nailympics.

In Memory: Tom Holcomb (1966-2011)
28/28
 
Slider

Nail technician Tom Holcomb has inspired a generation of nail technicians with his cutting-edge creativity. The winner of hundreds and hundreds of nail competitions, Holcomb has always sought to sharpen his skills and raise the bar industry-wide. He traveled extensively, especially in Japan, where he shared his skills and knowledge with thousands of other nail technicians. We'll be adding more photos as we come across them, but we'd like to start this gallery of photos to remember Tom.

Staff Writer

Editorial

Read more posts written by Staff

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.