Yorkshire 'career criminal' who learned to paint in prison is now a professional artist

A career criminal who took up painting as a hobby while behind bars for drug dealing is now a professional artist whose work has featured in exhibitions across the country.
Kevin Devonport had been sentenced to a total of 24 years in prisonKevin Devonport had been sentenced to a total of 24 years in prison
Kevin Devonport had been sentenced to a total of 24 years in prison

Kevin Devonport, 49, has numerous criminal convictions and had been sentenced to a total of 24 years in prison before deciding to turn his life around a decade ago.

The con was serving a 13 and a half year stint for heroin supply when he began taking art classes and noticed a 'lifer' beautifully painting the figure of a woman.

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He said: "The painting he was doing was awesome. I said to myself 'I'm going to be as good as you.' I set myself a personal goal to get to the level that lifer was at."

He decided to turn his life aroundHe decided to turn his life around
He decided to turn his life around

Since then, Kevin has ditched his life of crime and dedicated his life to art by producing a series of brilliant works, which have been exhibited at several UK galleries.

He has also entered a number of painting competitions and begun working from his own studio in his hometown of Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Kevin said: "It has given me a goal in life. I couldn't be happier. Just being able to get by doing something you love doing, you think you think you have cracked life really."

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Kevin's work focuses on still life, with his colourful, eye-catching works generally incorporating recognisable, everyday items such as crisp packets and trainers.

He started painting after seeing a 'lifer' paint a womanHe started painting after seeing a 'lifer' paint a woman
He started painting after seeing a 'lifer' paint a woman

He said: "Even when I was involved in criminality I used to like going to art galleries. The interest was there but I never thought I could actually do it. In the past few months, my art has become significantly recognised.

"I have been featured in a number of publications and exhibitions around the country."

Kevin left school with no qualifications and got his first criminal conviction at the age of 15 for shoplifting.

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He joined the army aged 17 but started using cannabis and ecstasy and moved on to taking heroin after leaving the forces at 21.

He said he started dealing heroin to fund his £100-a-day habit and was jailed for four years in 1996 for possession with intent to supply.

In 2003 Kevin was jailed for two-and-a-half-years for drug offences.

And in 2008 he was jailed for 13-and-a-half-years for his part in a conspiracy to supply heroin after police seized 4.5 kilos of the drug.

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Kevin said: "It could be said that I was somewhat a career criminal."

He added that mixing with hardened criminals in prison was one of the reasons he was "catapulted" into a life of crime.

Kevin started an Open University degree in sociology while serving the 13-year sentence and also discovered he could paint after taking a class.

While in prison, Kevin donated paintings to veterans' charity Care after Combat and they raised up to £1,000 each at auction.

His work won a national award for arts in criminal justice.

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In February 2018, Kevin was jailed for four years for producing cannabis at properties in Leeds.

He finally finished the degree he had started in 2009 during that sentence and graduated with a first-class honours degree in 2019.

Since leaving prison, Kevin has begun a residency at a Leeds studio exhibited his pieces across the country.

He said: "I think for some reason fate has guided me into becoming an artist as if it wasn’t for the pandemic I wouldn’t be on this path. Art has had a major impact for me to turn my life completely around."