Born in Germany in 1980 to a U.S. military family, Kevin Vigil — known professionally as Kre8 — grew up as an American whose life has been as vivid and layered as his art. Raised in Denver, Colorado, his early years were marked by adversity but also by a growing passion for creative expression. His artistic journey began in graffiti, where he adopted the name “Kre8,” short for Knowledge Reveals Evolution, with the “8” symbolizing infinity.

From rooftops and train yards to tattoo studios in Florida and New York, he honed his craft across subcultures and mediums, developing a discipline in composition, anatomy, and color that now infuses his fine art. In 2017, Kre8 left tattooing to pursue painting full‑time, and his breakthrough came at Art Basel Miami the following year. His signature style, known as Kre8tizm, fuses surrealism, abstraction, and street art energy into works rich with symbolism and emotional storytelling. Stylized faces, light bulbs, and fragmented forms recur as visual metaphors for insight, resilience, and transformation. From graffiti walls to gallery spaces, Kre8’s art stands as a testament to reinvention and the power of creative evolution.