C4 - Sunday, March 25, 1984 - North Shore News

featuring the
latest in
pPring Fasions

© haa and France

Time:
= gy) April 4, 7:30pm

Place:
THE COACH
HOUSE INN

700 Lifeoet Rd
A. Vancouver

=
ck

LL. Tickets

© available at
=

Nina’s Boutique

—_
O¢ Presented by

W") NINA’S BOUTIQUE

109 E. 15th 987-0244

N. Vancouver

DISPLAYING HER original fingernail paintings is Lu Ann Calabrigo, above. At left, a closeup of the scenes which

cover.

riginal

ANYONE WHO HAS seriously .wondered how
many angels can dance on the head of_a pin ought
to see Lu Ann Calabrigo at work painting an entire
tropical sunset on a fingernail.

With the aid of a tiny
pair tbrush and a palette of
acrylic paints, Calabrigo
works intently and
meticulously. First she puts
in a background of white and
yeliow; darker orange and a
touch of red give the top and
bottom of the najl a darker
sunset glow, and then tiny
black brushstrokes fill in the
details of trees, mountains,
flowers, boats or whatever
takes her fancy.

Usually she paints only one
nail, or complementary

NAIL PAINTINGS

designs on each hand, but she
has done various stages in a
sunrise over 10 nails.

She adapts her scene to the
nail, whether it is long, short,
square, or small. An advertis-
ing copywriter by trade,
Calabrigo earned pocket
money. all through university
painting’

It all, started on a two-week
vacation in Hawaii where she
came across a man painting
nails in Honolulu’s Interna-
tional Market. “‘l. spent my
whole two weeks sitting
beside him watching, I didn’t
get much of a suntan.”’

That was in 1979. Her big-

“If she didn’t tell you,
you would never guess.”

SCULPTURED NAILS
VY HEATHER

* Acrylic nails ¢ Coated tips
e Solar nails © Nail tips

1497 Marine Dr., West Van
Suite 200, 2nd Fl. Ambleside Center 026-5664

for

gest break came a few years
later when Nordstram’s
department store asked her to

‘paint her tropical nails as

part of a warm weather
clothing promotion.

She carries a collection of
stock designs. around with
her, adapting’ one of her

designs to-the nail shape. But

she can also paint to order
from a picture or even record
album’ cover. The latter is
very popular with men who
are usually a bit embarrassed
about having their finger
nails done, but don’t mind a
record album on the nail of a
big toc.

Calagrigo works quickly,
taking only about 10 or 15
minutes to complete one of
her designs. If it’s taken care
of — and if the wearer has a
dishwasher — the nail pain-
ting lasts for-several weeks.

A nail may be a smaller
canvas than is usual for a
painter, but the creative pro-

1
‘

: range
Hawaii-inspired tropical sunsets, to meadow wildflowers. Fingernails can also be painted to order from a picture or album

cess is the same. ‘‘ht’s. just
like any other painting — you
put your background-in first
and work from the back.’’
One of Calabrigo’s stock
designs costs $5 a nail.
Special requests requiring
more detail. will cost a little
more.
Her main vehicle of adver-

‘tising-is the painting on her

own fingernail — she can
paint the nails on: her left
hand, but being right-handed
she: can’t do her own right
hand.

The attention she gets from
her own painted nails gives
her the opening to talk about
her unique craft, and often
results in more business.

Calabrigo plansto do some
craft fairs and with luck some
more retail store or beauty
salon promotions. She can
also be reached.at her home.
Anyone interested in nail
paintings can call Lu Ann
Calabrigo | at t 922-4098.

Daphne presents .

our exciting
Spring Fashions

2490 Martine Drive,
Opposite Stonad's

West Lancouver
2 24S ST