Devin Elle Kurtz "Fatigue" on metal sheet

ARTivist Statement: I can see the exit... And yet... Here I stay.

I try to never be satisfied with my work, but to always treat that as a positive. I want to constantly be improving myself, which means never feeling totally comfortable with where I am. What I try to always be sure about is that I will get to where I want to go. I may doubt the skill I have at the given moment, but I know that I will chase down the results I want until I can achieve them. There is plenty of time in my life, however long it may be, and I love the process of learning and creating. For this reason, I am always striving for better work and better knowledge. I consciously try to reframe my negative thoughts with positivity about the future, and I refuse to put myself down even when I experience failures. It can be hard to do this, very hard, because often as artists we attach our self-worth to the work we create. But if we can reframe a good artist not as someone who makes good work, but as someone always striving toward better work, the pressure shifts. As long as I'm working toward improvement, I am succeeding. Every failed piece along the way is just a stepping stone toward better results in the future.

Bio: I am a 23-year-old visual development artist, illustrator, and BG painter. I was born in Santa Cruz, California, in 1996. At 17 I moved to Laguna Beach to attend Laguna College of Art and Design with a major in Illustration. I began to feel that a traditional art college wasn't the place for me, and left LCAD after my first year to continue my freelance career and pursue other educational opportunities. I moved to Burbank and freelanced for two years while I took classes at Concept Design Academy and Schoolism. In 2016 I began exhibiting at conventions and have continued to grow that business alongside my illustration and concept work. In 2017 I started a background painting position with Rough Draft Studios in Glendale and have been working there ever since. From season 2 of "Disenchantment" forward I have been the lead background painter.

Website: https://www.devinellekurtz.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devinellekurtz/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbZXhYn7CWVEEo9bCHtx4JQ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/devinellekurtz

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@devinellekurtz?