JEKS

JEKS is a graffiti and mural artist from Greensboro, North Carolina, who started painting in the mid-1990s. Over the years, he has developed a unique style and a serious mastery of the spray can, becoming known for his hyper-realistic portraits and massive full-color murals. His work is packed with detail, smooth gradients, bold colors, and emotion, and he has painted hundreds of walls across the U.S., Canada, and Colombia. Many of his murals have become recognizable landmarks in the communities where they live. Whether working on a commission or creating something of his own, JEKS is always pushing his skills and finding new ways to bring realism and street art together.

Greensboro, NC

Additional Artist Information

Famous worldwide for his massive, hyper-realistic portraits painted with spray paint, JEKS entitled this piece “Abuela”. It is inspired by the beauty of a diverse community and appreciation for the history of migrants and provides the viewer with a moment of peace, serenity, and comfort which seemingly are harder and harder to find these days. The concept for this piece was created in collabration with a cohort of educators and students from Lynn Public Schools through the Classroom to the Streets program. It sits beside the Massachusetts state bird — the black capped chicadee — and welcomes the thousands of visitors and residents traveling to Lynn by train. The words “Lynn Welcomes You” were designed and painted by Lynn students to signify a warm and inviting message from their city.