By Jessica Stewart on February 7, 2025

It’s amazing what this artist is able to create with spray paint.

North Carolina-based graffiti artist JEKS ONE is known for his hyperealistic portraiture. Often accomplished on a large scale, these murals show JEKS ONE’s incredible mastery of spray paint. His work is all the more impressive when one realizes that not only is he self-taught but that he also only picked up painting again about 10 years ago after a career in music.

My Modern Met stumbled upon his work during 2024’s Miami Art Week, when founder and editor-in-chief Eugene Kim visited the Kobra Art Park and had the chance to see his work.

“As I was walking down the streets of Wynwood, a gorgeous mural by JEKS ONE immediately stopped me in my tracks. It was immediately clear how much talent this artist had,” recalls Kim. “A woman with a red rose covering her eye and a golden halo around her head was displayed for the entire world to see and enjoy.

“The colors, contrast, and details were outstanding. I’ve since looked into his work further, and I can say that I’ve only become more impressed. JEKS ONE wears his heart on his sleeve and stands up for what he believes in, and his artwork is at the highest level. We look forward to seeing more from JEKS ONE as he’s one to watch and follow.”

After Miami, we had the chance to catch up with JEKS ONE while he was in between mural commissions. Read on for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview, where he shares how his artistic career began and what drew him to hyperrealism. […]

Read on: Self-Taught Artist Masterfully Spray Paints Large-Scale Portraits