Before I get into the image above, I would like to start by thanking you all for your continued support. The last few months was a very trying time for me with regards to severing ties with previous management. As a creative, our freedom is everything! This is one of the fundamental reasons why we decided to dedicate our lives to art despite the slim chances of making a comfortable living from it. Currently, I have been experiencing freedom and happiness like never before! In hindsight, the difficult period which I persevered through was actually a true blessing which has brought a lot of wisdom and strength to journey through the next chapter of this surreal yet wonderful artistic journey.

Now on to the image above of two hairy faces! I am extremely happy to reveal my third official self portrait!

What makes this portrait particularly special is knowing that it was commissioned by my all-time favourite pencil manufacturers Faber-Castell. In 2015, Faber-Castell invited me to Stein, Germany to visit their factory and tour the Faber-Castell Castle. Towards the end of the tour I met with the Faber-Castell team and they asked me “what would you like to see new in a pencil?”. I got a little emotional due to a flashback moment of being 8 years of age and discovering my love for drawing, not just with any pencil, but the Faber-Castell 9000 Graphite pencil series. After shedding a few tears and gaining my composure, I told them about the struggle of taking a decent picture of an artwork which has dark tones due to the glistening effect the dark grades of graphite pencils produces. 5 years later, Faber-Castell get back in touch and asked if I would be happy to work with them in releasing a brand new pencil – a graphite pencil which just so happens to not reflect off light the way normal graphite pencils do. Earlier this year 2021, they revealed to me what the pencil was which is the new Pitt Graphite Matt pencil range introducing the world’s first 14B grade pencil!

I couldn’t think of a more fitting subject to draw other than myself for this project. It was such a dream come true using the brand new pencils to create a new self portrait!

Link to know more about these new pencils: Pitt Graphite Matt

I feel so incredibly blessed and humbled by life’s offerings. If ever someone had told me at the tender age of 8 that this passion for drawing with pencils would one day bring about an opportunity like this, I would never have foreseen it.

A special thank you to my photographer Agenda Brown for ‘seeing me’ and photographing me – allowing me to see myself enough to make this portrait drawing!

This original drawing is available for purchase! Please contact info@kelvinokaforart.com or reply to this mail to inquire.

Lots and lots of love to you all! And thank you once for supporting me.

Kelvin
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