About the
Artist
At 19, Elia is a French nail artist and trained esthetician who has developed her practice through a constant pursuit of technical and artistic excellence. After specializing in advanced nail techniques, she discovered a passion for competition and artistic creation.
Her participation in international nail art championships has encouraged her to explore sculpture, texture, volume and storytelling, pushing the boundaries of traditional nail art. Through each creation, she seeks to transform a traditionally wearable medium into an expressive art form. Today, Elia continues to develop her artistic practice through international championships and creative projects, establishing herself as an artist on the international nail art scene, with the ambition of exploring its full artistic potential and contributing to its evolution as a contemporary creative medium.
The Works
The Softness of December
This work was created as a translation of a feeling. For me, Christmas represents comfort and renewal. Its folkloric and nostalgic elements evoke the warmth of childhood, while the deliberately kitsch details recall the traditional decorations of that time.
As an adult, however, that feeling has changed. Through a more refined interpretation of these playful elements, I wanted to express what remains of that childhood softness: a sense of comfort and tenderness that we can consciously return to, even as we grow older. Entirely sculpted and crafted by hand, this piece expresses what December means to me.
Breaking Free
This 12 cm sculptural work explores the search for freedom: a golden heart escaping from a marble shell and taking flight. The shell represents the confines that can surround us, while the golden heart embodies the desire to break free and find our own freedom. The first crack in the marble marks the beginning of the transformation, as the shell breaks apart and releases what was held within. The work deliberately leaves the cause of this fracture untold. Each viewer can see their own reason for the shell beginning to break, and what freedom might mean to them.
Created for the Nail Beauty Congress & Championship 2026 in Serbia, where it received 3rd place in One Nail in Focus, Category 1.
See you in Paris
HD Contemporary Art Gallery, 45 Rue Vivienne, Paris. October 12, 2026.