Nail Art: Meet the Monet of Manicures Warning ~ these are NOT your mother's fingernails! Text by Emily K. Alberts
It doesn’t take a master’s degree in art to recognize the masterful work of Blake Le, the New River Valley’s resident nail guru. While his canvas may be small, his creativity is boundless. After seeing what can be done, you will never look at your fingernails the same way again. Blake Le’s family traded coastlines when they moved to Virginia from Torrance, Calif., in 2001. They settled in Christiansburg, working at the New River Valley Mall nail salon. When Blake turned 18, he realized that by working alongside his parents, he would be able to put himself through college at Radford University. “I eventually got my degree in graphic design, with a heavy emphasis on watercolor,” says Blake. “It was after I started learning more about painting that I decided to practice on a much smaller canvas, via the nail bed. When I realized that a canvas can be as small as a pinky nail, I saw how much fun it was, essentially doing a micro painting.” Except that his micro-paintings aren’t stuck hanging on a wall, they are out and about, on some of the prettiest hands you’ll see. And of course, they’re also on the ‘gram. “When I started my Instagram page (@blake_ tle), that was when people began to take notice of my work,” he says. With 107K followers, it appears his reputation precedes him. From his humble beginnings at the Nail Trix Salon at the NRV Mall, he is now taking his own clients and managing his own appointments. His passion is contagious. “My favorite part about working is that I don’t feel like I’m working while I’m painting. It’s true what they say, work doesn’t feel like work when you’ve found the right job. My mind is at peace when I have a paintbrush in my hands.” 32
NRV MAGAZINE
Though his mind may be at peace, his hands are busy turning his client’s vision into reality. Sometimes he looks at photos for inspiration, but many times a color combination is all he needs to get the idea flowing in his mind. “The funny thing is, I usually don’t even know what it’s going to look like until I start painting, because during the process I’m adding this and that to it.” Blake’s current favorite nails to do are marble nails. “I love any type of marble, white marble, rose quartz, amethyst, etc., any type of stone, marble or gem -- I love doing it.” Another current style trend involves making every single nail unique, which gives him tons of freedom. “My most common request in October is Halloween January/February 2021
