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 pencil was one of his favorite hobbies. He attended high school in the late 70s, then attended art university from 1978 to 1982. He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts and painted often at this time, until he entered the Uzbek army from 1982 to 1984. Upon returning from the army, he began working at a textile factory. He married a woman he had grown up with and they had a child. In 1989, he moved to Krasnadar, Russia. Here in Russia he escaped to a simpler life working at farms and orchards. His painting was not a priority at this time in his life. It lay dormant until he moved to Antalya, Turkey in 1998. He worked with a partner creating advertising for local companies. During this time, he got his paints out again. The creativity of advertising unearthed his love of painting and he kept up with his talents during this time in his life. For the following eight years, Cecil would move back and forth between Turkey and Russia. In April 2005, political problems in Russia forced him to immigrate 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. An acquaintance suggested he begin selling his artwork to local galleries and he realized it hadn't occurred to him before. He made a living selling his artwork for the first time and he remembers this as the most exhilarating time of his life.

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