Exclusive: Maki Nail Artist Bio With Portfolio

 We gave you a little taste of New-York-based nail artist, Maki Sakamotao, a while back, and now we go more in depth with her background and an in depth look at work from her portfolio. The title nail artist is appropriate for her because she has the gift of talent combined with creativity that lifts her above her peers. She can put down a complex design as well as anyone, but her signature is more in her details and where and how she places a stud or stone so that her work has artistic symmetry and depth that draws one in. Click to the next page to read more about Maki and see more of her work. Also, please be kind to Maki and credit her should you reuse these photos.

Celebrities whose nails she’s painted include M.I.A., Solange Knowles, plus actress Brook Shields and NY Times fashion editor Sally Singer are regular clients. She has also assisted at fashion shows including, Michael Kors, Betsy Johnson and (oh-my-gosh), Tom Ford’s recent show, where in step with indivualized nature of the fashion, each model received a custom color nail polish. Its a goal of hers to eventually lead her own fashion show.

Her home base of operations is New York’s well-known Valley Spa, where she has put down thousands of nail designs over the past four years. As for trends, she sees taupe colors as leading the way for Spring, with matte remaining important. All of her regular clients have left behind square-shaped nails for oval or pointy nails and studs have been a rising trend lately, too. She was born in Japan and in her place of birth she says virtually everyone has converted to Cal-Gel and she thinks Americans will eventually embrace it, too, and says, “It healthy and it helps you grow long nails. It’s not a trend and will grow more here.”