Nova Arts Salon Collective

Salvador Salcedo, originally from Mexico, moved to the United States when he was 13 years old. It was in the US that he discovered his passion for barbering, starting with cutting hair in his garage and then honing his skills through Toni & Guy. Over the years, Sal has become a household name in the beauty industry, working at top salons like Sally Hershberger, Ramirez Tran, and Salon Benjamin, where he created iconic hairstyles for everyone from celebrities and artists to moms and grandmas.

With more than two decades of experience in the art of hair, Sal understands that hair is a medium through which he can understand people and help them express themselves. His high standards and commitment to excellence have made him a leading voice in the beauty industry, a true "Maestro" indeed.

Despite his success, Sal's true dream has always been to create a space where people can come to express themselves and unleash their inner artistry. This led him to establish his own salon, Nova Arts, which provides a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable to explore and grow their sense of self.

As a traveling artist, Sal's #HAIRTOUR has taken him to different cities around the world, where he offers hair transformations to all types of clients. He loves seeking and sharing new experiences and is strongly committed to bringing the best education worldwide. Sal is a man on a mission to expand consciousness and pass on his knowledge to others.

Sal's drive to continuously learn and evolve fuels his mission to help others do the same. In his latest chapter, Sal has expanded his repertoire to include coaching and mentoring - Beyond Hair. Helping others to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

Peter Felix grew up in South Los Angeles & San Gabriel Valley where he started cutting hair in his parents home at the age of 15. After completing Cerritos Community College, he started his career with Toni & Guy where he discovered his passion for teaching and developing others. Working behind the chair in Northeast LA, Peter is known for cutting and styling with natural hair texture to compliment the person's face and personality.

The spark for hair started early for me. In 7th grade I declared to my parents that I wanted to become a hair stylist.

I’ve dedicated over 20 years to learning and mastering the art of cutting hair.

I love lived in, effortless hair; shapes that evolve as they grow, and creating change whether it’s subtle or transformative.

I started my hair journey in Bellevue, Washington before moving to Boston, Massachusetts.

An opportunity opened up for me to become an educator for Bumble & Bumble, so I began splitting my time between NYC and Boston, learning new techniques and teaching.
I began splitting my time between Boston and Miami, eventually relocating to Miami full time.

Since then, I have moved to California. I continue to split my time, returning to Miami regularly. l love that my craft has taken me to all four corners of the country.

It’s a beautiful process to meet you where you’re at, to introduce new ideas and help guide you through it all. 

I love getting nerdy about hair. I listen and then… I ask A LOT of questions. Getting to know you is fundamental in understanding you and your hair journey, so let’s have a fun conversation, nerd out about you and your hair!

“A haircut can be a gift that keeps on giving.”

When I am not cutting hair, I love cooking, being in my garden, hiking and camping in the wilderness. You can find me next to a river, fur babies and husband by my side!

Rachel Lee is a California native and artist living her best life at Nova Arts Salon for the last three years. She believes that if you are open to the world it will show you new things and ideas.

Rachel enjoys doing hair and the way it allows her to translate the expressed desires of her clients into a physical transformation of their hair and what it can do. Together their vision comes alive, thus creating art.

From Assistant to Junior Artist, and now a graduated Senior Artist. Rachel has excelled in craft, and helped develop our Junior Artist Academy teaching the fresh talent that comes through our doors.

We are the art and the art lives in us. You may run into Rachel at one of the local vintage shops, but if not, she’s most likely chilling somewhere making music.

Amanda is a dry cutting specialist based at Nova Arts Salon in the heart of Arts District in DTLA. With 5 years behind the chair and as one of the original team members at the salon, she’s known for creating natural, low-maintenance haircuts with a polished edge.

Her approach blends precision with ease, focusing on styles that feel lived-in yet elevated. Amanda is all about creating a comfortable, relatable experience in her chair and in the salon.

With over 20 years in the hair industry, Julia Bezya is a haircut specialist and educator with a strong background in precision cutting and an individual approach to every client.

Her professional background includes teaching at Erteqoob (Ukrainian Academy) and SACO (British Academy in Ukraine). This British educational foundation has deeply shaped her approach to haircutting, with a strong focus on technical precision, structure, and understanding of form.

Today, Julia is developing her personal education brand, JB CUT, teaching technique classes for professional hairstylists while continuing to work behind the chair with clients in Los Angeles. Every two months, she also spends one week working with clients in New York City.

Inspired by fashion, architecture, and design, Julia sees hair as a material for creating form. Her work combines technical precision with an individual approach, adapting each haircut to the person, their hair, and their style.

Sean Yang's journey into the world of hairstyling began at the age of 16, honing his craft in his parents' garage, primarily focusing on barbering. As he progressed through high school and college, his passion for hair evolved, prompting him to delve into its more creative and artistic aspects. This quest for a deeper understanding led Sean to enroll in cosmetology school, where he dedicated himself to mastering the artistry of hair.

Upon completing his formal education, Sean furthered his expertise by apprenticing under the guidance of Sal Salcedo for a transformative two-year period. Under Sal's mentorship, Sean cultivated a diverse skill set that has empowered him to craft dynamic and innovative hairstyles.

Now, equipped with a wealth of knowledge and experience, Sean channels his expertise to curate vibrant and cutting-edge styles. His dedication to his craft allows him to infuse fun and edgy elements into each creation, reflecting his passion for pushing the boundaries of hairstyling.

Anya Martin spent her early childhood in London before her family settled in Charleston, South Carolina, where she began working in salon operations at sixteen. Drawn to the energy and intimacy of salon life, Anya quickly thrived in salon environments, seeing the impact of both personal connection and visual change.

After completing her cosmetology education in 2022, Anya relocated to Los Angeles to expand her perspective and found her home at Nova Arts Salon. She soon began a rigorous two-year apprenticeship under Sal Salcedo, where she honed her technical skills and deepened her understanding of shape, movement, and thoughtful design.

Anya brings a calm, intuitive presence to each appointment, creating space for collaboration and self-expression. Anya is intrigued and inspired by people who embrace their uniqueness and push for continual self-discovery. She specializes in haircutting with a focus on wearable structure, natural texture, and collaborative transformation. Her goal is to help you represent yourself in a way that feels natural and distinct.

James is a Los Angeles-based hairstylist specializing in effortless, lived-in haircuts that reflect your natural texture and personal style. Originally from a small farm town in Ventura County, James moved to LA in 2017 to pursue a career in hair. He earned his cosmetology license from Paul Mitchell The School and got his start doing house calls across the San Fernando Valley and Ventura.

In 2021, he joined Nova Arts Salon and trained under renowned dry cutting expert Sal Salcedo. Through his work at Nova and on the road collaborating with top stylists from coast to coast. James has honed a signature approach rooted in shape, movement, and wearability.

He specializes in dry cutting, soft layers, grown-out shags, modern mullets, and personalized cuts that grow out beautifully. Whether you’re after a subtle refresh or a bold transformation, James brings a thoughtful, relaxed energy to every appointment with a deep understanding of how to create hair that looks and feels like you.

Veronica discovered her love for hairdressing during the pandemic, when she began cutting her family’s hair and felt an immediate spark of passions. Feeling unfulfilled in her public health career and drawn toward a more creative path, she felt called to make a change. She went on to earn her cosmetology license at Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy and further developed her skills through an immersive two-year apprenticeship with Nova Arts Salon.

Veronica is passionate about continuously learning and expanding her repertoire as a stylist. Utilizing a variety of techniques, including shear work and razor cutting, she creates low-maintenance yet structured cuts that enhance the hair’s natural texture. Her approach blends precision and intuition to create custom looks that complement each client’s lifestyle, natural texture, and hair goals.

When she’s not behind the chair, you can find Veronica outside in nature, exploring a new restaurant or thrift shop, or watching a movie at home with her wife and two dogs.

Seola’s journey in hair started in South Korea in 2008 where she majored in hairdressing. She continued her education in the United States where she assisted a famous Korean celebrity stylist in Los Angeles. The biggest shift in Seola’s career came when she met Cherin Choi. Seola learned the technique of beautiful natural looking highlights. That technique inspired Seola to specialize and focus on becoming a hair colorist. She has honed her own "Asian blonding” technique and specializes in ashy blonde hair color. Seola is a master in taking any hair platinum.

Step into Cindi's chair and experience a transformation that's as enjoyable as the result itself. With over 10 years of professional experience and advanced training through Aveda and Sassoon, Cindi has built a reputation for precision, thoughtful color, and creating hair that's tailored to the person wearing it.

A true color specialist and problem solver, Cindi loves helping clients discover what's possible. Whether you're maintaining your signature look, making a subtle change, or ready for a complete transformation, she approaches every appointment with equal parts creativity, technical expertise, and attention to detail. Every formula, placement, and finish is carefully considered to bring out your best.

Beyond the technical side of hair, Cindi believes the salon experience should feel welcoming and personal. Her professionalism, wisdom, and quirky sense of humor quickly put clients at ease, turning appointments into conversations filled with laughter, stories, and genuine connection.

For Cindi, great hair is about more than beautiful color—it's about helping people feel like the best version of themselves. From the moment you sit down to the moment you leave, her goal is for you to feel heard, confident, refreshed, and excited about your hair.

Beverly Famous is a Los Angeles native and hair colorist specializing in dimensional brunettes, lived in color, highlights, and customized blonding. Known for creating rich, natural looking color with intentional dimension, Beverly approaches each client with the goal of enhancing what already works whether that means subtle brightness, a deeper brunette, seamless grey blending, or a full color transformation.

Working with a wide range of hair textures and tones, Beverly considers skin tone, natural hair color, lifestyle, and maintenance when creating each look. Her approach is thoughtful and personalized, with an emphasis on healthy hair, beautiful grow out, and color that feels just as good months later as it did leaving the salon.
For Beverly, great color shouldn’t feel one-size-fits-all. It should feel like you just elevated

Vihan, a Los Angeles native, is a firm believer in the beauty of happy accidents. Growing up surrounded by experimentation and the scientific method, she discovered the key components for achieving a vibrant success. While in college, Vihan sensed a void and decided to follow her carefree and artistic approach to life without limits.

Taking a bold leap, she dropped out, guided by her unwavering love for people and the desire to make the world a brighter place. Shortly before the pandemic's conclusion, in March 2020, Vihan graduated from Paul Mitchell Pasadena, gaining a new perspective on her passion. Eager to nurture her talent to its fullest potential, she sought guidance from her mentor, Olivia Virden.

Under Virden's apprenticeship, Vihan's abilities and imagination for color specialization underwent a remarkable transformation. Starting with seamless and effortless lived-in blonding, a challenging skill to master, Vihan learned to create a diverse range of effects. Beyond ensuring you look and feel your best, Vihan offers an authentic and playful experience. She is enthusiastic about working her magic to let your inner beauty shine through to the exterior.

Naomi Knights began her career at the age of 15 in her hometown of Los Angeles, studying hair while still in school. Eager to expand her horizons beyond her 'small town' roots, she pursued her passion for hair abroad, continuing her education in London, Paris, and Italy. Over the past 25 years, Naomi has honed her craft through extensive training and hands-on experience, working in Canada and New York City before ultimately returning to Los Angeles.

Naomi’s work reflects her deep love for the intersection of music, art, and creativity, earning her the trust of clients such as P!NK, Feist, Katy Perry, Scarlett Johansson, Anna Konkle, Amber Valletta, Florence Pugh, and MNDR, among others.

With over two decades of expertise in extensions and creating livable, wearable color, Naomi specializes in Balayage and sustainable bleaching techniques. Using the full spectrum of the color wheel, regardless if it’s a “natural” color —from pink to brown to blonde—all color us natural to her eye. Her approach to extensions focuses on promoting healthy hair growth and achieving the best possible look and feel.

Naomi’s connection to Nova Arts emerged through shared clients and a shared vision for innovative hair artistry. When not behind the chair, she dedicates her time to teaching hair color to the next generation of stylists and, most importantly, enjoys quality time with her three children.

Originally from Spain, Ana discovered her love for beauty early — spending her afternoons at age 12 watching the stylists in her neighborhood salon in Toledo, the historic city just south of Madrid. By 17, she had completed her cosmetology training and began working behind the chair, where she realized hair and makeup were more than skills—they were her passion.

At 20, she moved to Madrid and stepped into the creative world of fashion. Working backstage at Fashion Week with MAC Cosmetics, she honed her ability to bring looks to life through both hair and makeup, developing a sharp eye for detail and artistry.

In 2019, Ana made the life-changing leap to the United States, a move she describes as the beginning of her true artistic journey. From learning a new language to refining her craft across three different states, she eventually found her home in Los Angeles. After a year working in Beverly Hills, she joined Nova Arts Salon, where she felt she could grow, experiment, and create work that felt authentically her.

Ana approaches hair as a form of expression. Specializing in color and illumination techniques—including highlights, babylights, and freehand painting—she creates soft, luminous, dimensional looks that grow beautifully and feel effortlessly natural. Her work also extends into styling, focusing on volume, shape, and texture to enhance each client’s unique structure.

With an intuitive sense for tone, contrast, and movement, Ana designs hair that harmonizes with her clients’ features and lifestyles. For her, great hair should accompany you, evolve with you, and reflect the best version of who you are.

With 15 years of experience spanning the style hubs of San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles, Raquel Fajardo now brings their signature artistry exclusively to Nova Arts Salon CDMX & Los Angeles. Their philosophy is rooted in the belief that hair should be as individual as the person wearing it—rejecting 'one size fits all' trends in favor of personalized, lived-in silhouettes. A master of the craft, Raquel seamlessly blends technical razor work and traditional shear cutting with precision clipper work. This versatile approach allows them to sculpt hair into textured styles that are highly personalized to each client’s lifestyle. Raquel views every appointment as part of a larger 'hair journey,' designing cuts that don’t just look striking in the chair, but move, breathe, and evolve beautifully as they grow.

Jessica embarked on her career journey at a premier and nationally acclaimed salon in Austin, Texas. During her time in Austin, she underwent an intensive in-house training program, frequently collaborated with the Aveda Global Artistic Team, and contributed to multiple North American Hairstyling Awards photoshoots. This experience ignited her passion for styling and fueled her aspiration to become an editorial artist, prompting her move to Los Angeles.

While editorial styling remains a soul-nourishing pursuit for Jessica, she also possesses a deep affection for the art of a flawless blowout. In the early stages of her career, Jessica specialized in cutting, demonstrating a knack for crafting highly individualized looks that seamlessly integrate with her clients' lifestyles. Her expertise spans from cutting short, textured shapes to creating clean, precise lines, allowing her inner perfectionist to flourish.

Beyond her cutting proficiency, Jessica excels in the intricate art of beautifully blended balayage and dimensional color work. Her approach to color is marked by the same attention to detail and precision that defines her haircutting skills. With a commitment to perfection, Jessica brings a unique blend of artistry and technical mastery to every aspect of her craft.

Weston is a Texas native, who moved to the west coast in 2011. Since arriving in LA, he has worked across Los Angeles in some of the cities best known salons, where he met Nova Arts owner, Sal Salcedo. In 2017, he wanted to dive deeper into interpersonal skills and completed a year long training course with the Health Coach Institute (HCI) as a Health & Life Coach and later completed the Mastery in Transformational Training (MITT) Basic and Advanced courses.

In 2019, after almost two years managing Nova Arts Salon, he set off to Southeast Asia with only a backpack to further explore meditation, yoga, and cultural diversity. He shares his love of wellness and creativity with the transformative aspects of the hair industry. Since returning to Los Angeles in 2020, he has found his way back to Nova Arts Salon to continue his journey of sharing the culture of well-being. When you transform yourself, you transform the world around you.