It has been a week since my episode on Extraordinary Portraits aired on BBC One and I’m still on a blissful high! The response from the public has been unbelievable! So many heartwarming messages that I’m still making time to respond to.

On Extraordinary Portraits, I met and drew an extraordinary being by the name of Catrin Pugh. Catrin is a 96 percent burn survivor. She was left with burns on her body after she survived a coach crash near Alpe D’Huez in France back in 2013 at the age of 19.

British-Nigerian musician “Tinie” was the host of the TV series. He perfectly chose Catrin as the subject model for me to draw. Hearing Catrin’s road the recovery and her openess to share her story before and after the tragic event left me speechless extremely inspired.

Film and TV has a tremendous influence on society. It allows people to see the world through a lens of a potential reality. Scars and burns are often portrayed negatively in the various streams of media we have seen throughout time.

The three imges above are examples of villains seen in film and TV having visible differences such as scars and burns. These visible differences in characters are often depicted as evil, dangerous or wicked.

Over 650 hours was spent drawing Catrin’s portrait. Each and every scar drawn was deeply felt. I wanted to show the beauty of scarring and create a drawing which could hopefully be a catalyst for change with the representation of visible differences in the media.

My episode with Catrin is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

Be sure to check out the other 4 brillant episodes too! The last episode of the series will air this coming Sunday 3rd April.

In every project I work on it’s important for me to give back in some way. I am making 100 Limited Edition prints of my drawing Catrin Pugh! I will be donating 25 percent of the proceeds with each sale to the Katie Piper Foundation. A foundation with the vision of providing a brighter future for all survivors of burns and scars.

Giclee Fine Art Print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Smooth Paper
Size: 42 x 60 cm

Each print is hand co-signed and numbered by myself and Catrin Pugh.

*Prints purchased in the UK will be shipped flat-packed.

*Other destinations – prints will be shipped rolled and placed within cardboard postal tube to ensure safe delivery.

I would like to extend a wholehearted thank you to Chatter Media for inviting me to take part in such an inspiring series documenting the power of portraiture in art and the heroic stories of everyday people.

Thank you all again for your super kind and overwhelming reception. I wake up everyday feeling extremely grateful to be able to do something I love that can offer others joy, peace and a touch of inspiration.

Kx