Kris Manvell was born in London, and started drawing and painting when he was 8 years old. Kris first performed professionally, on drums, when he was 11 and then dropped out of school at 15 to play in a Punk rock band. He has travelled the world ever since, living his life immersed in the arts and helping to raise the awareness of animal rights.

Kris arrived in Turkey in April 2008, with one bag, just enough money to survive, and his laptop (having given all his other possessions away).