Cecil K. was born in Uzbekistan in 1963. His family was of Turkish descent and as a child he spoke both 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, only taking a hiatus while he served in the Uzbek army from 1982 to 1984. Upon returning from active duty, he began working at a textile factory. He married his childhood sweetheart, named Saira and together they have two children, a son named Arsen and daughter named Fatima.
In 1989, he moved to Krasnadar, Russia where he escaped to a simpler life working at farms and orchards. This demanding lifestyle of a farmer relegated art to a periphery, lying dormant until he moved to Antalya, Turkey in 1998. He worked with a partner to create advertising for local companies. During this time, he got his paints out again. The creativity of advertising unearthed his love of painting and he maintained 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 emigrate to the United States under refugee status. Cecil, his wife and their two children arrived in the U.S. and with the help of family already here and made their way to Atlanta. Cecil went through a difficult time of transition upon arriving in the U.S. He found himself painting more regularly and with a greater emotional depth than ever before. He began painting with acrylics to achieve his signature bright colors. An acquaintance suggested he begin selling his artwork to local galleries, an enterprise he had previously not considered. He made a living selling his artwork for the first time, a period he fondly remembers this as the most exhilarating time of his life.
