The Nail Altar started the way a lot of things do: small. In 2020, I began painting tiny 3x3 canvases to mail to friends during the COVID shutdown. Over time, the work kept getting smaller and more detailed, and friends started paying close attention to what that kind of precision could do. It wasn't long before they were asking if I could bring that same focus to their nails. I said yes, and something clicked.

For me, painting has always been more than a hobby. It is how I manage panic attacks and anxiety. There is something grounding about the detail work, the focus it requires, the way time slows down when you are working on something small and intentional. That same energy lives in every set of nails I create.

As word spread, people started asking when I would offer salon services. I took that as a sign. I went back to school, earned my nail technician license, and launched The Nail Altar in full in 2022.

Since then, the work has only grown. These days, I split my time between running The Nail Altar, working at Shadow and Glow, and my full-time role as a Quality Director. Most recently, I have started helping my partner in crime from my previous career, Kat, build her own nail brand - Fern and Folklore.

Every part of this journey has been built on community and on friends who believed in the work before it had a name. I am grateful for that, and I put that gratitude into everything I make. To me, every set is a ritual. It is intentional work. Thank you for being here with me on the journey. 🔮