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Ignorance, Personal Taste, and Just Plain Mean

Why is it that people have such a hard time differentiating opinion from fact? I get that not everybodylikesthe work I do, and I don’tlikethe work that everybody else does. In fact, I’m not always so fond of what I do. It’s taken me a long time to embrace the duck foot nail, for instance.
 
But my portfolio is heavily influenced by what my clientele chooses to wear. So, after a while, you start seeing the beauty in more styles than just what you personally prefer to wear. So doing other people’s nails day in and day out has really helped me develop an appreciation for multiple styles, tastes, and trends. And joining the professional nail industry has given me a backstage pass to the industry behind the salon. Which, I admit, I sometimes forget that not everyone has the opportunity to witness or experience. Especially what with the Internet and all those “blurred” lines I’ve been talking about, bringing non-salon professionals into our folds. I tend to think that there’s more awareness, understanding, and appreciation for what the professional nail industry has to offer for other professionals.
 
And then, last week, the BF tells me that he left a link open for me on his computer that he thought I would be interested in.
 
So I sat down and read the article. I knew as soon as I saw the title that I was looking at a sensationalist piece of “reporting” on a subject that the author obviously chose to write about without bothering to learn anything about first. Which is like waving a big flag over your head that says, “VIVA LA IGNORANCE!”
 
The article is about the fantasy nail art competitions at the Nailympics: http://theweek.com/article/index/239704/5-frightening-photos-from-this-years-nail-art-olympics#disqus_thread
 
I just haven’t been able to wrap my head around the notion that there actually seem to be people who honestly believe they are looking at real-world nail art. Even though the author of the article mentions that this is a competition for nail artists, it seems that people — including the author, possibly — think that this is intended for daily wear.
 
Well whatever. Be ignorant, stay ignorant, celebrate your ignorance if you want — but seriously? And I get accused of being “hateful?” Is the fantasy nail art really “frightening?” The average person really isn’t capable of looking at that and being awed? At appreciating the work that goes into creating these designs?
 
I get — from nails to fashion to paintings — that there are styles of artwork that not everyone likes. But to feel the need to stand up and shout, “Ewwwww! That’s so gross!” — well, that just seems unnecessary.
 
But then, I have seen very little nail art that I didn’t like. Maybe people just need to see more nail art.
 
Print | posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 11:15 AM

Comments

# re: Ignorance, Personal Taste, and Just Plain Mean

Gravatar left by Nails4Dummies at 2/13/2013 2:40 PM
AMEN!!! If you don't have nothin' nice to say, don't say nothin' at all! I don't particularly thing the Mona Lisa is all that great, but you won't catch me in The Louvre shouting, "ewwww, gross!!" because I realize that while it isn't something I would hang on my wall, I can certainly appreciate the artistry! I honestly thing a lot of those types of comments stem from the fact that technology is so much more accessible that users are getting younger and younger and the ignorant can even work the internet these days!

 re: Ignorance, Personal Taste, and Just Plain Mean

left by michelle at 2/13/2013 2:44 PM
Glad to know I am not alone in my appreciation of nail art, in fact its one of the only oppurtunities we really have to express our artistic talents, since most nail work is just routine maintenance.
I get ridiculed everyday for my art work, even if its a colored frenchtip. I'm like come oooonnnn! Can't you at least appreciate it for the artistry?? I agree though, its common sense that some of the fantasy nail art obviously is not meant for everyday wear, but its still art!!! I appreciate all of those people that push everyday to make this profession taken seriously. And keep doing your thing, because if you feel anything like me, you got into this industry because you're an artist and you just enjoy making art.

# re: Ignorance, Personal Taste, and Just Plain Mean

Gravatar left by Kathy Dent at 2/13/2013 7:12 PM
You know, my son is an artist who does contemporary art. His art is not always to my taste but I always appreciate the work and talent that has gone into it and I know that many many people love his stuff. I always admire the fact that he can deal with the fact that some people don't understand or appreciate his stuff and have no hesitation in saying something nasty or derogatory about it. It is the same with nail art - some people don't appreciate it but shouldn't we all recognize the work and talent that enabled the person to do it?

 re: Ignorance, Personal Taste, and Just Plain Mean

Gravatar left by Patty Ronald at 4/22/2013 9:42 AM
NailPro Competition Pasadena Sunday April 21, 2013. AMY CHEATED! First of all Amy Becker used a mold, not a form. Secondly, her nails looked awful and you couldn't pay me to have the monstrous things on my hands! It is sooo very sad that people have to cheat to win! She said she could do sculptured nails on forms in less than 15 minutes, but she was so afraid to lose to THE TAMMY TAYLOR of TAMMY TAYLOR NAILS that she had to cheat to do it. Pitiful! TAMMY TAYLOR still holds the World Record of doing the fastest set of SCULPTURED NAILS WITH FORMS at 12 mins 37 secs as recorded at the NailPro Competition!!!

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