Panayiotis Kalorkoti was born in Ayios Amvrosios, Cyprus, but soon moved with his family to Britain. He studied fine art in the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and specialised in printmaking at The Royal College of Art, before working at The Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and crafts in Den Bosch with a special scholarship from the Dutch government.

He has worked on major public projects, such as the Grizedale Society, Cumbria, has been ‘artist in residence’ for the Leeds Playhouse and for many other bodies and has won fellowships, scholarships and commissions.

Roger Cardinal noted in the catalogue of the 1994 Gallery K exhibition "Panayiotis Kalorkoti's etchings have a characteristic tonality, a colour reminiscent of old brickwood warmed by a dying sun, sometime between faded pink and a rusty burgundy, where nostalgia mingles with a deeper pathos"