If you’ve been following NAILS Next Top Nail Artist then you know that we are getting down to the wire. We are over halfway through the competition and the challenges are getting more difficult as is letting a contestant go. The thing I love and hate about reality competitions is that you form attachments to the contestants. Whether you know them personally or not, you make it personal, especially when you connect with their work.

I had a deep connection with the nail art Jane Weiner did for the Forming the Fifties Challenge so when she was asked to leave after last week’s French mani challenge, I was particularly sad. If you want some inside dish from the judges’ point of view, we were all a little heartbroken to see Jane go. Her sense of humor and quirky design aesthetic made us all fall in love with her through her videos. And what a guy her husband is for supporting her throughout the competition and making memorable cameos in her YouTube videos and even modeling her nail art.

Because of the scheduling for this competition, we receive the nail art for the following week’s challenge before knowing who was eliminated. Unfortunately Jane was out of the competition by this week’s Halloween challenge. Her creation for this challenge reminded us all of why Jane will be missed. Her YouTube video along with her skill in creating this design are a Halloween treat we had to share with you.

I can’t speak for all the judges, but I definitely would have scored this a 10. The hand reminds me of the shower scene in Psycho and it is simple yet so impressive. Her talents are definitely hand-painted nail art. Extra points for the creativity behind the video which had me laughing out loud at my desk. With no narration from Jane on her technique, it was a total risk. She relied only on the story behind the nail and ran with that creativity to carry the video. The result is a Halloween classic. I think I could watch this video over and over again. Bloody good Jane, bloody good!

Stay tuned to NAILS Next Top Nail Artist to vote for your favorite contender so that they don’t get sent home. Keep up with Jane on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, and Nail Art Gallery.

Happy Halloween!

— Beth