Kro Vargas is an internationally renowned, Miami-based master nail artist. Born in New York City, Kro moved to Miami at two years old and grew up in the Sweetwater neighborhood. She fell in love with nail art while accompanying her grandmother to the salon and watching in fascination as nail technicians painted elaborate designs. In 2014, she attended beauty school at her parents’ encouragement and turned her passion and artistic expression into a career, learning from other nail artists and working at salons in New Jersey, Miami, and New York. She continued fine-tuning her artistry and developing her intricate techniques, including her signature freestyle lines reminiscent of an “old school” 90s style.
Her trendsetting, multi-dimensional designs have graced the fingertips of major musical artists like Ivy Queen, Rosalía, and Ice Spice. Kro finds beauty and inspiration everywhere and draws influences from fashion, art, hip hop, Miami aesthetics, and Japanese design. She has established herself as a master nail artist within the culture and is featured in books, magazines, album covers, and publications such as Vogue, Office Magazine, i-D, and Fresh Sets: Contemporary Nail Art from Around the World. She was recently highlighted in the 2025 documentary, Nail Tech: Portrait of an Artist.
Residency Programs
Exhibition – Nail Art: A Cultural Expression
Opens Friday, December 5
FREE with museum admission
Film Preview & Panel Discussion—Full Set: A Celebration of Miami Nail Artistry
December 6
FREE with museum admission
Demonstration: Live Nail Art Design at the Art Deco Festival
Saturday, January 10
FREE
Workshop: Nail Art Techniques with Kro Vargas
Sunday, February 8
Registration required
More About Nail Art and Culture
In collaboration with Dr. Jillian Hernandez, Associate Professor at the University of Florida, and the Full Set Project with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
