Steve Harvey pencil artist once delivered this portrait to State House
A pencil portrait of American comedian Steve Harvey turned one Kenyan artist by the name Collins Omondi Okello into an online celebrity.
Now Harvey wants to meet the talented young man during his trip to either South Africa or Botswana.
UHURU’S PORTRAIT
Harvey is not the only high profile individual Collins has drawn.
In 2014 Collins says he presented President Uhuru Kenyatta with a portrait at State House to mark the head of state’s 53rd birthday.
Using his pencil, the then 25-year-old artist drew a portrait of the president in his military fatigues as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
After working for more than eight hours, the final product captured every single detail.
Back then, as now, Collins made headlines as the then State House Digital Director Dennis Itumbi praised the artiste and shared his portrait on social media.
Collins told a local publication that he even received a personal call from President Kenyatta that got him very nervous and tongue-tied.
Collins says he started exhibiting his works at an early age when he was a pupil at Arya Primary School.
IMPRESSIVE PORTFOLIO
In 2004 he joined Kisumu Boys High School and took Art and Design but concentrated too much on the theoretical part of it.
After high school, he joined Jomo Kenyatta University for Agricultural Technology (JKUAT) and suffered another setback as his parent wanted him to pursue a degree in Commerce.
He would later get back to purse his first love when a friend referred a client to him. He made the portrait and sold at it for Sh500.
Since then he has never looked back.
Collins markets his products through social media using his three accounts, Collins Think-tank Okello (Jaduong’), How A Luo Would Have Said It and Jaduong Artworks.
His social media pages are full of beautiful pieces of art including drawings of former South African President Nelson Mandela and former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.
Drawing of ODM leader Raila Odinga, former South Sudan President John Garang, Oscar awarding actress Lupita Nyong’o and media personality Jeff Koinange are all part of his impressive portfolio.