Artist Bio

Born in 1981. I was raised in a rural area right outside of Winston Salem, NC. I explored the hunting trails and farm fields around the farm house I grew up in. I would create epic narratives about the spirit of the forests around me and my relationship to what I observed. I later attended a Buddhist university in Colorado where I studied dance and writing for a year before attending UNC Asheville in my home state. I received a BA in sculpture. I’m currently working in 2D and living in Arden NC with my husband and eleven year old daughter.

Artist’s Statement

Images come through a visionary process of finding structure in the way ink mixes and spreads on the surface. This tendency has been with me since childhood when I'd stare at wood grain, tree branches, and clouds to find faces and figures to make up stories in my head. The visions I see in the ink with my mind's eye have a surreal style that reflects my playful perspective of the world which has been an outlet for me for much of my life. 

Curriculum Vitae

Education

2010 B.A. with distinction in art (sculpture), University of North Carolina at Asheville

2010 Undergraduate research scholar, University of North Carolina at Asheville

2002 Naropa University, Boulder, CO.

Grants & Awards

2014   Asheville Area Arts Council Spruce Street Market Scholarship

2009  The Ron Layne Scholarship for Sculpture in Honor of Dan Millspaugh

2009  UNC-Asheville Undergraduate Research Grant

Exhibitions

2020 Shows:

Creative Hub Studios

Foundation Studios

Blue Ghost Brewing

and GIFC Worldwide

2019 Ongoing GIFC / Velvet Ropes, travelling exhibition of unframed works on paper: - 0-0 LA Gallery (Los Angeles, CA); Shrine Gallery (New York, NY); Martha’s Contemporary (Austin, TX); Agnes B Galerie Boutique (Tokyo, JP); Galleri Golsa (Oslo, NO); et al.

2019 UNCA alumni show, Ramsay Library, Blowers Gallery, UNC-Asheville

2019 Sept-Nov Duo Show with Annie Monaghan at Pennycup Coffee, Haw Creek

2019 May solo show, Odd’s Cafe, Asheville, NC

2018 Group show, Taylor Gallery, Asheville, NC

2017 State of the Art/Art of the State group show, Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC

2017 Biennial group show, “From These Hills: Contemporary Art in the Southern Appalachian Highlands”, William King Museum of Art, Abingdon VA. Juried by Courtney McNeil of Telfair Museum

2017 Solo show, ”Into the Woods”, Blue Ghost Brewing, Fletcher, NC

2017 Group show, Artomat 20th Anniversary, Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, NC

2017 April, Artfields, Lake CIty, SC

2016 Group juried show, “Sacred and Profane”, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA. Juror:Kim Larson of Modern Eden Gallery

2016 Solo show, "Dream Cluster", Blue Ghost Brewing, Fletcher, NC

2016 Group show, "Kitchen Sink", Delurk Gallery, WInston-Salem, NC

2015  Flood Gallery Pop-Up Show, Asheville NC

2011 Man's Ruin Gallery, Asheville NC

2010 Atelier Gallery, Asheville, NC

2009 Selected Student Exhibition, Highsmith University Gallery, UNCA

2009 42nd Juried Student Exhibition, UNCA, Tucker Cooke Gallery, curated by Peregrine Honig

2008 “It’s a Small, Small Work”, Gallery 86, Waynesville, NC

2008 Drawing Exhibition, Owen Hall Gallery curated by Virginia Derryberry, UNC-Asheville

2003 The Sovereign Gallery, Group Exhibition, Boulder, CO

2001 Rusty LaRue Charity Art Auction, Reynolda House, Winston­-Salem NC,

1999 Art­o­Mat Artist, National

Juried Art Markets

2019 Holiday Big Crafty, U.S. Cellular Center

2019 Summer Big Crafty, Downtown Asheville

2019 Big Love at New Belgium Brewery

2019 March and October, MakeHer Market, Asheville, NC

2018 Hand-to Hand Holiday Market, Greensboro, NC

2016 West Asheville Art Walk, Asheville, NC

2014 Spruce Street Market, Asheville, NC

2014 The Big Crafty, Asheville, NC

2010 Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival, Asheville, NC

Collections

2010 sculptural installation, “The In-­Between”, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Whitesides Hall, Asheville, NC

Volunteer Work

2011 Arts for Life Volunteer Art Educator, Mission Children's Hospital, Asheville, NC

2006­-2008 Blue Ridge Rollergirls Art Committee Chairperson, Asheville, NC

2002 Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Guest Services, Boulder, CO.

Print or Digital Media

2019, Satisfy your Craving for Creativity Online Summit.

2019, The Art Journey Podcast, Episode 8

Tom Patterson, “Assortment of Art at Delurk”, Winston-Salem Journal, February, 14, 2016.

2014, Erin Huber, “Nicolette Leigh Carter Yates”, Mother Artist Project (blog).  http://themotherartistproject.blogspot.com/2014/08/nicolette-leigh-carter-yates.html

Wendy Freeman Davis, “Living Life as an Artist”, Kernersville News, March 3, 2015. 7.

Bootie Cosgrove-Mather, “Art-O-Mat Aims For Collectors”, Associated Press, February 25, 2003.