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 pencil was one of his favorite hobbies. In April 2005, political problems in Russia forced him to emigrate to the United States under refugee status. Cecil, his wife and now their two children arrived in the U.S. and with the help of family already here, made their way to Atlanta. Cecil went through a difficult time of emotional conflict upon arriving in the U.S. 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.