Keiti Forbes. Her name, by definition, means 'a beast from the forest'. 'Keiti' originates from 'from the forest,' and 'Forbes' is a contraction of the latter-day English words 'For Beast,' as Scottish Forbes clan member O’Conchar Forbhasach II was reputed to have killed a savage bear. Keiti prides herself on her Scottish heritage and, even more so, on her ancestral connection to Pictish Kings.

Although her identity is Scottish, her art transcends the boundaries of nationality. Her love of art began long before she could read or write. As a small child, Keiti was obsessed with observing people and animals. She was drawing as soon as she could grasp her chubby little fingers around a crayon. Now, as an adult woman, although her medium may no longer be crayons and her fingers slimmer, her subject matter and motivation have remained the same. There’s one thing that connects all of Keiti’s artwork—whether the message is obvious or subliminal—and that message is: being human is so awkward.

At 13 years old, Keiti had her first job cleaning Brown's Gallery for £1.50 an hour. When she was leaving the job, the gallery owner told her she was the worst cleaner he had ever had. She told him he got his money's worth. Thirteen years later, Keiti exhibited at that same gallery for the first time and again the following year. In just a few short years, she has been flown around the world to paint murals and has been selected for some of the most prestigious art competitions in London, as well as exhibiting at notable galleries in Scotland. Alongside these impressive successes, she continues to collect random accolades along the way, such as having celebrities share her artwork online, NYC filmmakers using her artwork for scenes and even having an Australian psychologist using her artwork for their seminars. Keiti’s artwork can reach and connect with millions of people online.

Being human is Keiti’s greatest inspiration. One day, Keiti realised that we are all the same; we all feel varying degrees of embarrassment, anxiety, dread, angst, anger, grief, joy, and love. Our emotions tie us all together with an invisible string. She finds humor in everything, even during the greatest depths of grief. Keiti was able to find solace in sharing these experiences with others and, in doing so, realised that she was inadvertently helping others cope with difficult emotions too. Keiti has since vowed to always make her work real, honest, and genuine, not only to have a fulfilling career but as a service to others.