Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicolette Leigh Yates.
Hi Nicolette Leigh, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Art has been part of my life since childhood. Growing up in rural Stokesdale, I spent hours outdoors staring at nature, tracing the edges of flowers, grasses, barns, tree limbs, and fields with my eyes, finding images in clouds, and making up stories…moments that still fuel my intuitive process today. In second grade, I won a haunted house drawing contest and received a Hello Kitty stationery set as my prize. That moment inspired me to pursue art more fervently, taking every creative opportunity I could over the years. My mom is an artist who creates realistic illustration, paintings, and murals, and watching her work showed me this life might be possible. After high school, then a semester of graphic design that wasn’t a fit for me, I saved up to go to Australia with a friend. When I got back from that trip, I spent several weeks making a lot of art and developed a unique illustrative style with my own world of characters. That consistent body of work inspired me to do more. I eventually applied to Naropa University, where I explored dance and writing for a year, and then needed to move back closer to family so I went to UNC Asheville and earned my bachelor’s degree in art in 2010 after dabbling in geology for a few years.
In college, my professors taught me technical skills and how to translate what I see to canvas, which was hugely influential in understanding myself artistically. But eventually I wanted to let go of the more academic influences and regain the freedom in the authentic way I was creating art after the Australia trip. My work became more colorful, intuitive, and illustrative, and felt very freeing, as if I had achieved the goal of “finding my style”.
This year, following the effects of Hurricane Helene which destroyed my little gallery space in the River Arts District, I took a significant step by securing a public-facing studio at RAD Rendezvous. This marked a shift from working in relative isolation in my home studio to being part of the vibrant arts community that I love so much and which drew me to Asheville over 20 years ago.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been smooth, but perhaps I’ve achieved some goals more easily than I expected with perseverance and dedication and truly an obsession to follow my creative whims. Like many artists, I’ve navigated the realities of parenthood, financial constraints, and health issues that made it hard to maintain consistent momentum during certain periods of time. There were years where my practice took a backseat to healing, paying bills, and raising my child. What’s kept me going is the genuine response I get from people as well as the happiness and healing that art has given to me. Hearing “I love your colors!” or “This makes me so happy!” from viewers and collectors and also witnessing my own evolution of well-being through creating reminds me why I do this work. Those connections sustain me through the difficult stretches. A quote that came through one of my pieces several years ago is “keen on the peaceable in-between”. I try to anchor into that idea when I need it, though it’s definitely easier said than done sometimes.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I create mixed-media paintings that explore memory, perception, and the connection we find in nature. My work is rooted in the process of pareidolia which is a phenomenon where we see faces and figures in clouds, wood grain, or random textures. I think this gives my work a dreamlike, almost subconscious quality. My process is entirely intuitive. I work without references, laying down layers of watery acrylic paint, letting it dry, then coming back to find images in the lines, textures, and colors. My characters and scenes emerge from intense, obsessive observation of the color spaces.
Since 2017 I’ve begun to develop recurring characters and imagery that hint at a larger narrative world, though I’m still discovering what stories these elements want to tell. I often find animals and humans in funny predicaments, observing their environments, or showing deep connection between one another.
What I’m most proud of is finding peace in those in-betweens while facing many hurdles while slowly building a somewhat sustainable practice on my own terms and an authentic artistic voice.
What sets me apart is that I’m more interested in creating art that resonates emotionally than fitting into gallery expectations. I’m building my career through direct relationships with people who genuinely connect with the world I’ve created.
What does success mean to you?
Success within my art career, for me, is having an audience that seeks out my work specifically. People who follow what I’m doing and want to own pieces because they genuinely connect with them, not just because they’re decorating a space. It’s also about sustainability and autonomy. Can I support myself through my art without compromising my vision? Can I create consistently without financial panic? Am I offering valuable perspectives through my work? Those are the things that matter to me. I also measure success in the quality of relationships I build with my community and in the technical or conceptual evolution I see in my own work year over year. Ultimately, success is being able to dedicate significant time to developing my artistic voice while building a practice that sustains itself and my family over the long term. It’s about creating a life where making art is central, not squeezed into the margins.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicoletteleigharts.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolettelyarts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572365555074
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicolettely
Image Credits
Helen Joy Photography & Asheville Elevated Photography
