Michelle Whitaker, Rolla, Mo. wins 1st place for her rendition of "Misty Mood" by Leonid Afremov.

Michelle Whitaker, Rolla, Mo. wins 1st place for her rendition of "Misty Mood" by Leonid Afremov. 

2nd Place:Ashley Loveridge, Lords Valley, Pa.“Loneliness of Autumn” by Leonid Afremov

2nd Place:
Ashley Loveridge, Lords Valley, Pa.
“Loneliness of Autumn” by Leonid Afremov

3rd Place:Sarah Carrillo, Northglenn, Colo.“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli

3rd Place:
Sarah Carrillo, Northglenn, Colo.
“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli

4th Place:Tanya Rose, Central City, Ky.“Cycle” by M.C. Escher

4th Place:
Tanya Rose, Central City, Ky.
“Cycle” by M.C. Escher  

5th Place:Jamie Warren, Norman, Okla.“Sunset” by Norman Rockwell

5th Place:
Jamie Warren, Norman, Okla.
“Sunset” by Norman Rockwell

Honorable Mention:Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio“The Red Umbrella” by Loui Jover

Honorable Mention:
Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio
“The Red Umbrella” by Loui Jover 

Honorable Mention:Shannon Bedard, Bellingham, Wash.“Marilyn” by Andy Warhol

Honorable Mention:
Shannon Bedard, Bellingham, Wash.
“Marilyn” by Andy Warhol

Honorable Mention:Becca Butterworth, Royston, Barnsley, England“Meditative Rose” by Salvador Dali

Honorable Mention:
Becca Butterworth, Royston, Barnsley, England
“Meditative Rose” by Salvador Dali  

Honorable Mention:Veeah Chitwood, St. James, Mo.“The Singing Butler” by Jack Vettriano

Honorable Mention:
Veeah Chitwood, St. James, Mo.
“The Singing Butler” by Jack Vettriano

Notable Entry:Isabelle Racine, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada“Woman With a Parasol, Facing Left” by...

Notable Entry:
Isabelle Racine, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
“Woman With a Parasol, Facing Left” by Claude Monet

Notable Entry:Amber Dunson, Shreveport, La.“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli

Notable Entry:
Amber Dunson, Shreveport, La.
“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli

Notable Entry:Rachel Gerving, Claremore, Okla.“Sails and Sunsets” by Kyle Brock

Notable Entry:
Rachel Gerving, Claremore, Okla.
“Sails and Sunsets” by Kyle Brock

Notable Entry:Martha Berhorst, Port St. Lucie, Fla.“The Apple” (1996) by Romero Britto

Notable Entry:
Martha Berhorst, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
“The Apple” (1996) by Romero Britto

Notable Entry:Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada"The Scream” by Edvard Munch

Notable Entry:
Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada
"The Scream” by Edvard Munch

1/14
 
View all
Michelle Whitaker, Rolla, Mo. wins 1st place for her rendition of "Misty Mood" by Leonid Afremov.
1/14
 
Slider

Michelle Whitaker, Rolla, Mo. wins 1st place for her rendition of "Misty Mood" by Leonid Afremov. 

2nd Place:Ashley Loveridge, Lords Valley, Pa.“Loneliness of Autumn” by Leonid Afremov
2/14
 
Slider

2nd Place:
Ashley Loveridge, Lords Valley, Pa.
“Loneliness of Autumn” by Leonid Afremov

3rd Place:Sarah Carrillo, Northglenn, Colo.“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli
3/14
 
Slider

3rd Place:
Sarah Carrillo, Northglenn, Colo.
“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli

4th Place:Tanya Rose, Central City, Ky.“Cycle” by M.C. Escher
4/14
 
Slider

4th Place:
Tanya Rose, Central City, Ky.
“Cycle” by M.C. Escher  

5th Place:Jamie Warren, Norman, Okla.“Sunset” by Norman Rockwell
5/14
 
Slider

5th Place:
Jamie Warren, Norman, Okla.
“Sunset” by Norman Rockwell

Honorable Mention:Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio“The Red Umbrella” by Loui Jover
6/14
 
Slider

Honorable Mention:
Irina Von Krosigk, Tipp City, Ohio
“The Red Umbrella” by Loui Jover 

Honorable Mention:Shannon Bedard, Bellingham, Wash.“Marilyn” by Andy Warhol
7/14
 
Slider

Honorable Mention:
Shannon Bedard, Bellingham, Wash.
“Marilyn” by Andy Warhol

Honorable Mention:Becca Butterworth, Royston, Barnsley, England“Meditative Rose” by Salvador Dali
8/14
 
Slider

Honorable Mention:
Becca Butterworth, Royston, Barnsley, England
“Meditative Rose” by Salvador Dali  

Honorable Mention:Veeah Chitwood, St. James, Mo.“The Singing Butler” by Jack Vettriano
9/14
 
Slider

Honorable Mention:
Veeah Chitwood, St. James, Mo.
“The Singing Butler” by Jack Vettriano

Notable Entry:Isabelle Racine, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada“Woman With a Parasol, Facing Left” by...
10/14
 
Slider

Notable Entry:
Isabelle Racine, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
“Woman With a Parasol, Facing Left” by Claude Monet

Notable Entry:Amber Dunson, Shreveport, La.“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli
11/14
 
Slider

Notable Entry:
Amber Dunson, Shreveport, La.
“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli

Notable Entry:Rachel Gerving, Claremore, Okla.“Sails and Sunsets” by Kyle Brock
12/14
 
Slider

Notable Entry:
Rachel Gerving, Claremore, Okla.
“Sails and Sunsets” by Kyle Brock

Notable Entry:Martha Berhorst, Port St. Lucie, Fla.“The Apple” (1996) by Romero Britto
13/14
 
Slider

Notable Entry:
Martha Berhorst, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
“The Apple” (1996) by Romero Britto

Notable Entry:Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada"The Scream” by Edvard Munch
14/14
 
Slider

Notable Entry:
Deanna White, Fairview, Alberta, Canada
"The Scream” by Edvard Munch

Meet the Winner: Michelle Whitaker

Our 2014 Mini-Masterpiece winner may have gotten off to a slow start in this industry, but we predict great things for her. “I have been a licensed nail tech for 11 years, however I didn’t start doing nails until last year,” says Michelle Whitaker. It took her about two-and-a-half hours to complete the winning tip. “I’d work on it between appointments. The hardest parts were the people and the benches,” she says.

“I chose this painting because of the brushstroke look of it and all the vivid colors throughout. It was just so pretty.” Whitaker used acrylic paint for the artwork. “When I finished, I topped it with a matte polish to make it look like a painting.”

Despite the fact that she’s had no formal art training, she does a lot of nail art in the salon. “I have watched a ton of Robin Moses videos and she pretty much taught me how to paint. (Thanks Robin!) I mostly do Pinterest-inspired art in Artistic Colour Gloss. Occasionally a client will let me do whatever I want and that’s always fun.”

“I’d like to thank Sarah Petersen [a colleague at Salon Legacy] and Artistic Nail Design for the never-ending inspiration to grow and become great.”

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