Kelly Haygood Stevens was born in 1896 in a place called Mexia, Texas. He became deaf at age five and attended the Texas School for the Deaf where he began art training. He was admitted to Gallaudet College in 1915 and graduated in 1920 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. During his year at Gallaudet, he continued his art education at the Corcoran Art Gallery. Following graduation he went to the New Jersey School for the Deaf, taught art until 1929, and worked for one and a half years at the Trenton School of Industrial Arts.

During the summer of 1926, he went to Spain and worked under the Spanish Deaf painter, Valentin de Zubiaurre, painting Spanish landscape. After returning to the United States, he became fascinated with Indian life, his love of mystery and color in the landscape, especially his native home, Texas. From 1933 to 1934, he traveled to France and Spain. In France, he focused on painting an area of the Seine; in Spain, he lived in the Basque province and painted peasant people. He returned to teaching art at the Louisiana School for the Deaf in 1936 and continued until 1949. Also, he enrolled at the Louisiana State University, and received his M.A. degree in 1938.

He devoted his life to art, especially in New Mexico and Arizona, where he had long residence with the Indians resulting in a series of paintings of their tribal costumes and dances. Also, he bought an old school house which he spent a lot of time restoring to its original condition; the Texas Historical Society recognized it as a landmark. In 1971, Kelly Stevens was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by Gallaudet College. He died on November 27, 1991 at the age of 95.