Yates, who grew up in Key West, began her career after graduating from Florida State University with a degree in Advertising Design in the 70's. She continued her education with studies in Florence, Italy in art history. Her time spent in Italy and then later, in Brazil under the mentorship of renowned abstract painter and landscape artist Roberto Burle Marx, has helped her develop a style that radiates a third world primitive character. She explains that her employment as an ad agency art director and later in the same role for Hearst publications in Manhattan included working with some of the country's best designers.
Upon moving back to Florida, Debra Yates spent time as the art director for "Miami Magazine", The Miami Herald's "Tropic Magazine", and Florida Home and Garden.
She is one of South Florida's true Renaissance women. When this artist describes her painting she says, "My work is about space, composition, proportion and texture."
She is known for the abstract nature of her striking mixed media paintings and mosaics.
Yates has been fortunate to have had 24 solo shows around the country from the Hamptons to Wynwood. Large-scale commissions include two paintings she did for Neiman Marcus at The Mall of Millenia in Orlando; the 135' by eight-foot mosaic semicircular wall on Collins Avenue at 73 Street, which she created for the City of Miami Beach; and the 100-foot by 10-foot multimedia Barricade Wall she created at the Miami International Airport.
In Key West you can view the 135' Smathers Beach mosaic wall, a 17-foot painting for the Key West International Airport, and 8'x 8' Tarp Paintings that hang from the rafters in the Key West Ferry Terminal. Her mosaics, abstract Expressionist paintings and architectural/landscape design work have been published in books and magazines.
The awards that Yates is most proud to have received are the 2000 South Florida Cultural Consortium in 2000, the Roedel Foundation Fellowship to the Vermont Studio Center and the Dina Baker abstract painting award in 2017 from the Cultural Council of Palm Beach.
Her studio is now located near downtown and the ocean in Lake Worth Beach.
CV
Born and raised: Key West, Florida
Education
B.A. in Advertising Design, Florida State University
Art Study, Florida State University, Florence, Italy
Experience
Advertising Agency Art Director, New York City (1977–1981)
Magazine Art Director – Miami Magazine, Tropic Magazine (Miami Herald), Florida Home & Garden (1982–1994)
Artist, Barbara Gillman Gallery, Miami (1985–1994)
Designer, The Art of Space – Resort & Residential Exterior Spaces (1981–Present)
Abstract Painter (1981–Present)
Awards
2017 – Dina Baker Award, Cultural Council of Palm Beach County
2014 – Stars of Design Award, DCOTA
2012 – Winner, The Art Place Juried Show, Wynwood, Miami
2007 – Studios of Key West, Armory Studio Space Recipient
2002 – Commissioned Works, Neiman Marcus Collection
2002 – Residency Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center
2000 – South Florida Cultural Consortium Award, Monroe County
1997 – First Prize, Spectrum Worldwide Mosaic Tile Competition
Solo Exhibitions
2021 – Covid Series, Pop-up Show, Delray Beach
2018 – Re-imagine, City Place, West Palm Beach
2018 – Cultural Council of Palm Beach County
2014 – Lemonade Stand Gallery, Key West
2013 – The Art Place, Wynwood, Miami
2010 – Red Door Gallery, Richmond, VA
2010 – Studios of Key West, Armory Building Installation
2013–2000 – Lucky Street Gallery (11 solo shows), Key West
2007 – Bravura Gallery, Southampton, NY
2006 – Ariodante Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2006 – Artforte Gallery, Seattle, WA
2005 – New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
2004 – Simply Abstract, Tennessee Williams Theater Lobby, Key West
2003 – Annie Bolling Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1997 – Creative Resource Gallery, Birmingham, MI
2015 – Group Show: Hal Bromm Gallery, 40th Anniversary Invitational, Tribeca, NYC
Public Works
2021 – Renew and Restore, Mosaic Wall, Smathers Beach, Key West
2009 – Painting Installation, Key West International Airport
2007 – Serpentine Fence Sculpture, Sculpture Key West
2006 – Mosaic Benches, City of Palm Desert, CA
2006 – Bamboo Grouping Sculpture, Sculpture Key West
2005 – Hanging Tarps Installation, Key West Ferry Terminal
2003 – 135' x 3' Mosaic Tile Wall, Smathers Beach, Key West
2002 – Neiman Marcus Collection, Paintings for Millennium Mall, Orlando
1998 – 135' x 8' Mosaic Wall, Drive By Celebration, City of Miami Beach
1997 – 100' x 8' Barricade Wall Installation, Miami International Airport