2020 Nail Mural Contest: Remembering the ’80s

1st Place:

Rebecca Tweddle

Queen Bee Nail Artistry, Rochester, Mich.

Theme: 1980s Nostalgia

IG: @queenbee_nail_artistry

Meet the Winner

“I absolutely loved doing this muraI!” says Queen Bee Nail Artistry’s Rebecca Tweddle, who dedicated two months to the project. “Bringing my ’80s childhood nostalgia to life through my artwork has been cathartic — and exciting. I worked tirelessly to bring my favorite toys to life using tips, acrylic paint, acrylic, gel-polish, and hard gel. I found myself swimming in a sea of memories.”

Tweddle’s design incorporates many beloved characters from her childhood. “When Ms. Packman came out I knew girls were going to rule the world. Strawberry Shortcake was my perfume, and the Care Bears made my imagination soar into the clouds,” she recalls. “Hello Kitty was everything to me, stationery, stickers, and tiny houses that my parents bought for me in Chinatown. I looked forward to Saturday mornings so I could see my favorite, Smurfette. I tried to make her resemble the puffy stickers I had of her in my sticker book.” Other treasured items featured in the mural include bubble wands, a bubblegum machine, and a boom box.

Trained in painting and sculpting, Tweddle holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and specializes in nail art. “A few years ago, I reignited my love of nails and it opened up a whole new medium of nail art murals,” she says. “My career makes me so happy.”