Yukiyo Nagata was born and raised in a commuter town outside Tokyo, where she developed a deep love for art that led her to study fine arts at Musashino Art University. In 1993, she relocated to New York City, earning a degree in graphic design from Queens College in 1996 and building a career as a corporate graphic designer for nearly two decades.

The COVID-19 pandemic became a catalyst for profound transformation. Working at a thrift shop run by a non-profit supporting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, Yukiyo witnessed the overwhelming volume of daily donations—a stark reminder of our consumption-driven culture. She began salvaging unsellable textiles and objects, transforming discarded materials into handcrafted goods.
In 2023, Yukiyo founded Scrap Artisan, a boutique craft business working exclusively with recycled and reclaimed materials. The following year marked a pivotal shift as she transitioned from craft to fine art, focusing on religiously themed artwork. After recovering from decades of depression through a profound encounter with God ten years earlier, Catholicism had become central to her life.

Today, Yukiyo creates fabric appliqué artwork and mixed media pieces depicting Gospel narratives and Catholic traditions. Drawing inspiration from Eastern rite iconography and European medieval art traditions, her work explores themes of redemption, resurrection, and divine mercy—concepts embodied not only in her imagery but in her very materials, as discarded objects are given new life and purpose.
Yukiyo was awarded a four months artist residency in 2026 by Transform Arts NYC. Her work has been featured including Feat, an open call exhibit by Arthouse2B (2026), Musabi 2025, a group exhibit by Japanese art college alumni, Astoria Local Artist Showcase (2024), Artisan Showcase 2025 at Het Labo Music and Art, Brooklyn, and Recycle 2023, an open call by Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition.