Kelly Devitt

Artist Statement

The human body is a container. It holds precious elements that give life, but it also encloses inner thoughts and emotions that are created by the individual. Skin is the ultimate protector of the body. It shields the inside from harmful diseases and protects from the abrasive elements that are looking to cause harm. Skin is a window, allowing those that live beyond to simply gaze inside and experience the information that is meant to be private. In moments of embarrassment, anger, and happiness, the skin displays this information for all to see, often betraying the permission of the individual wearing it. 

I create ceramic sculpture that portrays daily rituals in preserving skin as well as the moments when emotion is being translated using one’s skin. Skin is often on the receiving end of harmful actions that are triggered by anxiety and internal thoughts. The application of creams, serums and ointments are done in a ritualistic as well as a compulsive manner to ease pain and involuntary itching.

Bio

Kelly Devitt is a ceramic artist who primarily creates sculptures depicting emotions physically expressed through the human body. Raised in central Iowa, she received her BFA in Integrated Studio Arts from Iowa State University in 2017 and her MFA in Ceramics from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2022. Kelly is Currently an Instructor of Art ar the Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.