About

Cure Nailhouse was founded by Cyndia Robinson, an interdisciplinary artist from Detroit, Michigan in 2019. Born into a lineage of salon-going women, her earliest memories of artistry emerged in the ritual of nail adornment shared with her mother. Observing her mother collaborate with a nail artist—deciding on colors, styles, and designs that expressed mood and identity—imprinted upon Cyndia a personal language of self-expression and beauty. Over time, this ritualistic practice of caring for oneself through nail artistry became a defining element of her cultural experience as a Black woman, shaping her understanding of aesthetics and community.

As Cyndia matured, her awareness of the disparities faced by Black women in the nail industry and broader art world deepened. While pursuing her Master of Public Administration at Wayne State University and writing her thesis, she delved into the industry’s landscape and unearthed the extent of these systemic inequities.

Despite Black communities significantly fueling the beauty economy, their contributions and narratives remained marginalized, often dismissed as trivial rather than acknowledged as art. In truth, the materials and methods used by nail artists—gels, acrylics, paints—demand technical skill, creativity, and craftsmanship fully deserving of recognition within the context of sculpture and fine art. Yet, systemic barriers, historical erasures, and limited access to education and licensing pathways constrained these artists from pursuing their practice as a sustainable profession.

This lack of support reinforced societal misconceptions that “care work”— the meticulous labor in salons, including nail artistry—is not truly art, a notion rooted in both patriarchy and cultural bias. Meanwhile, the broader art landscape was evolving: fiber arts and other mediums once dismissed as “women’s work” were gaining respect and visibility. Nail artistry, equally craft-intensive, deserves the same elevation.

Cure Nailhouse emerges as Cyndia’s response—a restorative project that reasserts Black women’s centrality in the narrative of nail artistry and positions their work as fine art. By establishing a space of solace, restoration, and creative affirmation, Cure redefines the “salon” as a dynamic residency for learning, mastery, and cultural exchange. Here, emerging and established artists alike discover licensing pathways, develop their techniques, and push the boundaries of what nail art can convey.

It is a love letter to Detroit, affirming that within these walls, Black artists—and all who share this cultural heritage—will be seen, supported, and emboldened to expand their creative practice, forging new pathways that enrich the broader art and beauty landscapes.