An illustration shows Viewpoints Staffer Sara Stuart painting her nails at her desk. Stuart started doing nails in 2024 due to inspiration from a friend and it has has given her a creative outlet that she didn’t have before. “A friend inspired me to start doing nails. Once I started, I wanted to keep practicing and improve their look. At first, I often got more polish on my fingers than my nails, but I never stopped practicing and trying out designs,” Stuart wrote. Illustration by Sylvia Robinson
Viewpoints Staffer Sara Stuart acknowledges how she has grown in perseverance while learning to do nails.
Of all the creative hobbies I’ve tried, from painting to drawing to music, none have stuck with me like doing nails.
My dad and I used to paint together but I was never good at it. It was just for fun and I never tried to improve.
When people started asking me to do their nails I felt proud of myself because it made me think that people actually liked what I was painting.
I started to draw because I had friends who were really good at drawing. No matter how much I practiced, I couldn’t reach their level. But when I started doing my nails I didn’t feel so inadequate. I felt confident, not discouraged.
A friend inspired me to start doing nails. Once I started, I wanted to keep practicing and improve their look. At first, I often got more polish on my fingers than my nails, but I never stopped practicing and trying out designs.
When people started asking me to do their nails I felt proud of myself because it made me think that people actually liked what I was painting, which was such a satisfactory feeling.
While painting and drawing never suited me, doing nails — after hours of practice and passionate commitment – has become the perfect way to express my creativity.
