THE TOWN

From pint-sized drawings to larger-than-life murals, Jackson’s creative minds bring light and life to The City With Soul.

In a state widely known for its contributions to music, food, and literature, the capital city is blooming with artists of diverse backgrounds, from illustrators to muralists and beyond.

Whether you’re visiting the exhibits at the renowned Mississippi Museum of Art, attending an artisan fair, or going for a stroll on one of our many walkable trails, the Jackson art scene surrounds, surprises, and inspires.

Alexis McGrigg

With a drawing or painting instrument always at the ready, McGrigg went from being a student at the Mississippi School of the Arts to an internationally-showcased artist, with works featured in galleries as far away as New York City, Paris, and South Korea. Painting full-time at her home, her unique style of layering texture and color results in multidimensional pieces that equally ignite powerful conversation on race and reality.

Gavin Bird

Artist and muralist Gavin Bird grew up in a creative household, his dad giving him drawing and illustrating lessons from when he was little. Bird’s ever-growing portfolio of work can be seen all over town, including The Slab - a Mill Street DIY skate park, on the side of LD’s Beer Run, along the Museum Trail, and on the side of the bus for Capital City Kayaks, among other spots. Knowing art is a therapeutic outlet for himself, Bird hopes viewers can find calm and a creative spark in his work.

Justin Ransburg

Jackson native Justin Ransburg took his childhood love of Japanese art and animation and transformed it into a career as a professional artist. Along with sculptor Sam Clark, Ransburg realized there was a missing niche for other like-minded artists to gather, critique, and create together. The JXN Drawing Club was born, where free meetups at local coffee shops lead to newfound friendships and constructive instruction on drawing. You can catch Ransburg freehanding caricatures of Jacksonians and visitors alike, including chef and TV personality Carla Hall.

Azha Graham

Tattoo artist and muralist Azha Graham (pronounced like the continent) has always had an affinity for the fantastical. Taking a seemingly ordinary flower or creature and giving it a touch of magic, Graham is just as skilled behind a tattoo gun as she is in painting vivid murals in places like the Museum Trail and Jackson-Evers International Airport. A Fondren resident, she believes in the power of public art and gives people a fresh perspective of their city and surroundings.