Cecil K.

Cecil K. was born in Uzbekistan in 1963. His family was of Turkish descent, so growing up he spoke Turkish and Uzbek. His first artistic experience was in sixth grade sketching a horse. From that day on, sketching with a pencil was one of his favorite hobbies. He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1982 and painted often at this time. In 1989, he and his wife and family moved to Krasnodar, Russia, where he enjoyed a simpler life working at farms and orchards. His painting lay dormant until he moved to Antalya, Turkey, in 1998, where he worked with a partner creating advertising for local companies. The creativity of advertising unearthed his love of painting, and for the following eight years, Cecil would move back and forth between Turkey and Russia, painting as often as he could.

In April 2005, political problems in Russia forced him to emigrate to the United States under refugee status, where the family made their way to Atlanta, Georgia. Cecil went through a difficult time of emotional conflict upon arriving in the U.S., so he found himself painting more often and with a greater depth than ever before. He paints using acrylics, and his vibrant use of color is his signature look.