Kelvin Okafor : Drawing Awareness

Kelvin Okafor (b.1985) is a British hyperrealist artist who specialises in pencil portraits of ordinary people and celebrities. His work is often mistaken for photographs due to the extraordinary detail and likeness to reality, capturing the essence and character of the subject – all drawn by hand. Early pieces include portraits from the likes of Amy Winehouse, Lauren Hill, Nelson Mandela, CorrineBailey Rae, Rihanna, and Bob Dylan. In 2017, Okafor became the first black artist to be permanently exhibited in the House of Commons with his pencil portrait of Bernie Grant. Along with private commissions, Okafor has held sell out solo exhibitions at Albemarle street, a retrospective at Mall Galleries, featured in major publications, BBC, ITV, Art documentaries, collaborated with Faber-Castell and more. Kelvin continues to support various charities which include Face Equality International, Katie Piper Foundation and Changing Faces, who in fact, all support Kelvin’s new body of work – The Drawing Awareness Project. Okafor frequently conducts workshops at schools and supports community initiatives to promote inclusion, mentors the youth and champions how art can improve mental health.

Inspired by the portrait he drew of model Winnie Harlow, Okafor’s deep emotional connection to her story sparked a broader exploration of individuals with visible skin differences, whether genetic or environmental, ultimately leading to the creation of Drawing Awareness. At the heart of the series is a mission; to foster empathy, to educate and to inspire greater unity and inclusion. Okafor's portraits convey the human face - not as they appear in filtered images or glossy magazines - but in their most honest, lived reality - marked by resilience, shaped by experience, and enriched by individuality. Featured sitters include:

Winnie Harlow (Vitiligo) – International model and advocate redefining beauty standards worldwide.
Seal (Lupus) – Grammy-winning musician living with visible scarring from Discoidlupus Erythematosus.
Katie Piper (Acid attack survivor) – Author and activist empowering burn survivors and challenging rigid beauty ideals.
Nikki Lilly (Arteriovenous Malformation) – Award-winning content creator and author raising awareness with honesty and grace.
Catrin Pugh (Burns survivor) – Inspirational speaker and advocate reshaping perceptions around burn recovery.
Shimbe Avalumun Queen (Albinism) – Advocate promoting inclusion and education about albinism, particularly across Africa.
Zelda Burborough (Alopecia) - Activist, advocate, and campaigner for the charity Changing Faces.
Michéllé Brown (Cleft and Lip Palate) - Activist, and NHS care support worker who challenges beauty ideals in her day to day life.

Themes of acceptance and inclusion are woven throughout the exhibition, conveyed through both the portraits and the accompanying narratives. Each drawing tells a story of truth, told by the sitter, to help steer change, encourage greater understanding and challenge societal attitudes towards visible differences. By highlighting voices and confronting monocultural beauty ideals, Drawing Awareness is more than an exhibition —it is a movement. A call for compassion, representation, and connection in an image-saturated world.

Kelvin Okafor said: “As we navigate life’s physical journey, our environment plays a crucial role in shaping our development. In today’s digital age, our perception of reality is often influenced more by media than by lived experience. Scars, burns, and rare skin conditions have too often been portrayed negatively. Through this work, I aim to offer a positive narrative and raise awareness of the uniqueness and beauty of various skin conditions.Ultimately, I hope to remind people that, regardless of the shape or form our bodies take, we all share the same capacity to love, to understand, and to appreciate one another.”

In Drawing Awareness, Okafor builds on a lifelong commitment to capturing not just visual likenesses, but emotional truths. Each portrait — drawn entirely in graphite and charcoal —is a tribute to the subject’s story, strength, and spirit. “This work is not only artistic; it’s profoundly personal,” Okafor continues. “I began exploring the lived experiences of people whose skin tells powerful stories. I was moved by how proudly Winnie embraced her appearance, and how her confidence empowered others with similar conditions to embrace theirs. This exhibition is a tribute to all those who carry their truth with pride and inspire others to do the same.” Okafors works, which can take 500 hours to complete, are often mistaken for photographs due to their extraordinary precision and photo-real likeness, capturing the essence and character of his subjects and bringing them vividly to life. Early pieces include portraits of Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, Lauryn Hill, Nelson Mandela and Rihanna. Drawing Awareness is presented in partnership with Face Equality International, The Katie Piper Foundation, and Changing Faces — organisations that share Okafor’s commitment to advocacy, representation, and mental health awareness.