Daily Inspiration: Meet Hirsch Hunty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hirsch Hunty.

Hi Hirsch, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up with a mother who was a nail technician, I spent a lot of time in the nail salon as a child. While most kids my age were either home with her parents or outside playing with other kids, I spent a lot of my time helping my mother start pedicure bowls, answering the shop phone, and other tasks that immersed me in the field at an early age. It was in those moments that I understood I wanted to pursue becoming a beauty professional in the future.

After graduating from a vocational high school with my diploma and a cosmetology license, I went on to work as a nail technician in Wilmington, North Carolina. With a fundamental knowledge for the craft and little to no practical skills, I sought out to become not only a nail tech, but a nail ARTIST, and in just two years, I became one of Wilmington’s most in-demand nail artists. I wanted to keep my momentum going and continue elevating my career, so I took a leap of faith and moved to the up-and-coming city of Charlotte, where I knew I would excel even further than I imagined.

Moving to Charlotte was a real wake-up call, going from being a local “celebrity” to “the new kid on the block”. It was intimidating, but I knew it was a hurdle I would overcome with patience and persistence. Within the first few months of living and working in my new city, North Carolina residents were forced into quarantine, and salons were forced to shut down until further notice. During quarantine, I invested some of my savings into nail supplies, stocking up on my own salon equipment and products with an unknown future ahead. After two months of quarantine, I went back into working in the salon, where my hours were reduced due to Covid regulations. I took yet another leap of faith and decided to step out on my own and become an independent artist without a steady clientele. There was not an ounce of doubt in my mind that I couldn’t thrive and succeed on my own as long as I kept an open mind and persevered through any and every obstacle that came along the way.

I continued on my journey as an independent artist and in just a few years, I went on to become one of Charlotte’s most in-demand artists for luxury nails, and eventually went on to be featured in Allure Magazine and published in NailPro Magazine.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Throughout my journey, I’ve faced all of the struggles associated with being a nail tech and then some. But there was one struggle that became cancerous to my development as a nail artist, was the lack of confidence I had for my work. Although my clients were highly satisfied with my work, there was always that little voice in my head that told me my work was sloppy or needed improvement, and I became my own worst critic, beating myself up over minor imperfections. Oftentimes, it would lead to creative blocks, which began to cripple my creativity and confidence as an artist.

I remember a moment when I was coming down extremely hard on myself, and my self-reflection had gone extremely wrong. I began doubting myself and everything around me, and my friend recited a poem to me that changed my life forever;

“Your worst enemy sits right beneath your crown yet still kicks you down.”

In translation, you are your own worst enemy, and remembering that you are in control of your confidence, and when you start to overthink and doubt yourself, you allow yourself to become your own worst enemy, dulling the sparkle of your crown and ultimately letting yourself down. This poem’s quote deeply resonated with me, and during times when I catch myself doubting my skill, my work, or even myself, I recite this poem to remember that I am in control of my confidence.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
With six years of experience in the nail industry, I have become known for my sculptured acrylic nails and hand-drawn nail art. I pride myself on being a well-rounded and versatile artist, as understanding every aspect of the nail industry is very important to me.

After understanding and perfecting the fundamental elements of nails, I began showcasing my personality through my nails in a way that would stand out amongst others in the industry. I took the initiative to create art that I wanted to see in the industry, not what the industry wanted to see from me. I cultivated my unique style of nails, long, embellished, dramatic nails, which have become a part of my brand and truly showcase my talent and artistic abilities as a nail artist.

Through all of my accomplishments as an artist, my proudest moment to this day is seeing my nail designs in magazines that I used to flip through as a child! NailPro Magazine extended an incredible opportunity to showcase my work in a step-by-step nail design tutorial for their September/October issue in 2022.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My advice to those just starting out in the industry is that practice makes perfect, and the only way to become the best at your craft is to perfect it!

As a novice, I entered the work field with a fundamental knowledge of the basis of nails but did not have any work experience in performing nail services. I dedicated myself to learning new and different techniques that would further advance my repertoire. I took every opportunity to learn anything that would help build me up as a nail artist, from working on clients to practicing nail designs during slow days and even going home and watching YouTube videos of nail tutorials and nail educators to visually grasp new designs/concepts. I took my job and fully immersed myself in its entirety to absorb everything I needed to know to become the nail artist I envisioned myself to be.

Your repertoire that you spend countless hours building will set you apart and allow you to stand out amongst others in your industry. My drive to perfect my craft has built me to be the artist that I am today and ultimately, has allowed me to understand that I am in control of the skillset and knowledge I aspire to obtain.

Contact Info:

• Website: NailsbyHirsch.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/nailsbyhirsch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nailsbyhirsch

Image Credits
Photography curated by Gavin Boulware (@iam_gavinb), Corrie Huggins (@corriehugginscreative), Derwin Marshall (@fadeawayproductions).