Kevin A. Williams (b. July 1965, Chicago), widely known by his moniker WAK (his initials reversed), is a self-taught African-American visual artist whose vivid figurative paintings and widely distributed lithographs have made him one of the most recognizable names in urban fine art. Raised on Chicago’s South Side, he embarked on his artistic career as a teenager—painting murals and creating commissioned illustrations in local clothing boutiques and hair salons along East 87th Street. His early professional break came at 19 when he became a cosmetology illustrator for Soft Sheen, eventually producing the iconic “Standing Appointment” image for Motions hair-care that remains legendary in its field. Over the past three decades, WAK has collaborated with celebrities—creating over 20 originals for Bernie Mac and a commissioned piece gifted to Oprah Winfrey—and his works have appeared on shows like Law & Order and Soul Food, as well as in publications such as Upscale, Rolling Out, and Essence. Now based in Atlanta, Williams leads WAKART, LLC, distributing over 50 lithographic prints that have become the most widely circulated urban fine art series in the nation