Born in 1977 and a veteran of the Royal Logistic Corps with operational service in Bosnia and Northern Ireland, Kev Wills is the driving force behind the vision for the original 457 Project.

Kev rediscovered his passion for art while travelling across Asia and Australia, later developing a distinct style across oils, charcoal, and digital media. His work has since been exhibited nationally and internationally, from London’s Brick Lane Gallery and Bondi Beach to the IKON Gallery in Birmingham.

He is best known for The Fallen of Afghanistan—a monumental initiative in which Kev personally painted all 457 portraits of the British service personnel lost during the campaign, gifting the original artworks directly to their families as a lasting token of remembrance. It was this work that led to him being awarded an MBE, alongside receiving official commissions to paint HM King Charles III and members of the Royal Family.