We were lucky to catch up with Caigea Milfort recently and have shared our conversation below.
Caigea, appreciate you joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?
Sooo I started doing my own nails and got a job as a budtender at a local dispensary. I like to do my own nails because it protects my nails and it doesn’t hurt like acrylic, I can incorporate my studies in astrology and symbolism in the nail art, it gives me time to be with myself and tap into my inner child who wasn’t allowed to alter her appearance how she liked, and it saves me so much money! So the more I did my nails the more attention I got from customers and coworkers, so much so that my MANAGER asked me to to her next set! Now at this point I’ve only had a couple months of experience but I said yes because why not! I practiced as much as I could till then and she loved them! There was some trial and error involved but it was nice to be asked, and it was so satisfying to see her reaction afterwards.🥹 This was a great experience though, because it taught me that I need to practice more and explore new ways of artistry like pressons!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi! I’m Caigea(KAI-EE-JUH) Michelle, Cai for short. So I am a nail artist that uses esoteric knowledge and divination to create my nail sets to improve the energy of the wearer… so nail therapy might be a way of looking at it. But I use color theory, symbolism that are inspired by astrological placements/transits to create works that enhance the energy of the individual through their hands. I started getting into doing nails in 2021, after I discovered that I could do them at home. I don’t have the greatest experiences at the nail salon and sometimes I wouldn’t like the work, but every time I went my nails were disgustingly weak and hurt for days. I started with poly gel and then transitioned to gelx. As I’m doing my own sets, my nails are getting stronger and I feel more powerful and confident. In 2022, I was looking into astrology remediation, which is balancing out the “bad” in your birth chart by pumping up the “good” or lessening the “bad”, through colors, fabrics, practices, materials, tattoos, etc. Similar to Feng Shui, which focuses on improving the energy of the home. I eventually turn upon nan’s and nail divination and readings. As a true Scorpio, I dive deep into it and my world is opened up. I see connections in symbols, in planetary energies from a personal to worldly level, and I discover that this handiwork is exactly the remediation I need for my own chart! So I start doing nail readings for fun and practice, before making my own sets that enhance my natural energy, while keeping me balanced during turbulent times, which is reflected in the planets. Now that’s developed into me creating sets for the energy of the upcoming seasons, with cute and fun designs that make you feel like everything is going your way and you’re getting better as a person. At least that’s what I’ve been feeling and what my first client said!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
What’s driving me in my creative journey is my mission of self mastery. I’ve recently discovered that the depression, anxiety, and in fulfillment in my life is due to perpetual self abandonment, even in the littlest of ways. Ways like, forgetting to eat, being too lazy to put on a cute outfit, procrastinating on personal goals because “I don’t feel like it and i can do it anytime”, and getting a job that you feel you shouldn’t. I’ve always been nimble and for some reason as a child i’ve always felt proud of that lol but I’ve always anted to channel it into something. I’ve also always wanted to be and feel pretty all the time, but never felt confident so I fell to the tomboy aesthetic, rejecting my need to feel feminine. Over the years though my mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health has suffered due to this; so much so that i’ve been in art block for over 5 years! But idk doing nail art aligns me with the need to be feminine, to be creative, and to show myself off. I love showing off my creations but I hate when people look at my art. 🙄 I know I know, but with nail art it’s like girl the nails GOT to give because people WILL be seeing it wether I like it or not lol. And sometimes when I don’t like a set I get some of the most compliments it’s crazy. But all in all, my creative journey is driving me to master my own nuances in my own way.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Yes! So I was in school for computer science… cried every semester for some reason lol until I switched to graphic design! All of a sudden, I found happiness in my days much more easily. Despite that obvious energy shift, I went back to the comfort of suffering with the promise of big bank, and enrolled in a coding bootcamp. The experience was amazing I will say and it led me to a full time software engineer position. A full time job in a new state right after college, what an opportunity! I had a year contract and during that year I had the worst experiences of my life. My managers were dry and rude to me, literally laughing at my work and berating me for not being enthusiastic, despite me constantly pushing my creative talents and skills! Requests and initiatives I did with the intention of mobility was either ignored and rejected and I felt stuck. I became s*icidal and my health declined so bad. Like my bones felt like they were declining in density even though I was taking care of myself with all that engineer bread. I’ve had the want to leave ever since I joined and it grew more and more and it soon became me surviving within a couple of months. I created digital colorful abstract pieces when I had the energy and wasn’t drowning my confidence in Netflix series. I knew I couldn’t keep doing this so I left as soon as my contract was up! I tried to get another job with my background but to no avail. I had the experience and the knowledge but no interest! But my confidence had drowned and I stayed stagnant for a year, only dabbling in the creative pursuits that set me free, because I wasn’t used to that sense of freedom ever, and I was traumatized by my corporate experience. I stayed stagnant for a year as well, doing things to get by, diving into the law of assumption and manifesting like a crazed fanatic and keeping myself in creative imprisonment. I knew that wasn’t the way either once I got evicted and went to live with my parents. Once their toxicity was introduced back into my life, I got the kick to do the right thing: WHAT I WANT. To set myself free and left my creativity flourish, no matter what stage I consider myself as a creative. So I pivoted, and am in fact still in the act of pivoting, to a more creative lifestyle; aka entrepreneurship! 🥳 I had to pivot because my health and mental state is at risk of detrimental decline and creativity, believe it or not, is an essential part of (my) health and wellness. In the “ghetto” recipes I whip up that happen to taste good and give me nutrients, dressing up for myself using all of my closet, etc. Using my creative talents and inclinations to expand my life expand me in the end, and that is the goal. The pivot was essential to getting back on track to a fulfilling life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @cai.zenn
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caigeamide
- Twitter: @djinngerrr
Image Credits
2nd pic model: @saraiigabrielle on IG 3rd pic model: @dianethedauntless on IG