Exhibitionists·Video

Need your nails did? This Vancouverite will make them into art

CBC Arts headed to the studio of Vancouver-based nail artist Winnie Huang, who's been lauded for her nail sets that range from the sculptural to the fantastical.

Winnie Huang's canvas is your fingernails

Vancouver nail artist Winnie Huang creates sculptural spectacles for the tips of your fingers

8 years ago
Duration 2:27
Head to nail artist Winnie Huang's studio, where she translates her whimsical personality into over-the-top nail art designs

There's become quite the distance between a standard manicure and the three-dimensional couture nails made by artists who go to great lengths to outdo one another. From stiletto nails to holographic effects, sculptures mounted precariously on pinky fingernails to nail stickers, the industry sees new innovations every year.

Enter Winnie Huang, a nail artist (and Crash Gallery alum) from Surrey, B.C. who came upon the trade simply out of her interest in nail polish. From blogging about colour swatches to learning how to paint miniature scenes and build tiny sculptures on elaborate nails, Huang has become a major name in the nail art world. She was the winner of NAILS Next Top Nail Artist in 2015, and the win hasn't stopped her from continuing to think of new ways to make fingernails magical.

In this segment directed by Mangla Bansal, Huang takes us through a little bit of her process and shares her joy in finding an art practice she truly loves.

Follow Huang on Twitter and Instagram.

Watch Exhibitionists Sundays at 4:30pm (5 NT) on CBC.