Devin’s Story:

Internship, mentorship and a pathway to college = a career as an artist

Salt Residency Student 2005-2011

BFA @ The Savannah College of Art and Design 2015

Salt Emerging Artist 2020-2022

1st Solo Show @ Charlie James Gallery in LA - 2022

Devin Osorio was born an American of Dominican Republic immigrants. Devin is a familiar face to many in the SALT community having joined SALT in 6th grade, spending 7 years in our after-school photography program. Through Salt, a teacher made an introduction to a designer  at Diane Von Furstenburg's studio where they received an internship exposing them to the college lives of students from Central Saint Martin and SCAD, paving the way for an interest in college.

“Growing up I did not think I would go to college. My excuse was financial, but deeper than that, it was from the fear of allowing myself to want bigger things. No one I knew had completed college. All of the adults in my community worked jobs as cooks in chicken spots or landscapers in office buildings. My high school did not offer inspiring programming.

Salt changed that. They were the first to see my creativity as more than a doodle on a page but as the beginnings of a future. Salt helped me realize that doing something creative could be turned into a job. I met all kinds of people in creative jobs and through getting to know these people I came to realize that creativity and money were not mutually exclusive. If I had never been in Salt, I would be surviving instead of living right now.” 

Devin graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Fibers (Textile Design and Textile Fine Arts). They currently work as a full-time visual artist in Mexico City. They have shown work in Mexico City, Madrid, London, NYC, with a solo show at Charlie James Gallery in LA, and a solo booth at NADA Miami. Devin is in the private collections of Beth DeWoody and Xiao Museum in China. Devin's website & instagram.

This is why the work NYC Salt does is so important. We create pathways to college and careers in the creative industry. And while our services are free to the students, they’re not free to do.  

Devin’s story is just one of many that NYC Salt has helped to craft through the lens of the visual arts. We need your support to bring this exceptional, highly personalized educational experience to hundreds more. 

Please consider joining the NYC Salt community today and make a donation of any size to support college guidance this year.

Paintings by Devin below. To see more of their work, visit Devin’s website or follow them on IG.