Public Art & Murals by Jaya King
Hi, I’m Jaya!
My first murals were crayon drawings on the hallway walls of my home. Since then, the walls have only gotten bigger as I’ve built a professional practice creating public art and murals for residential, commercial, and community spaces. I have had my own interdisciplinary art practice for over 20 years and am based out of Oak Park, Sacramento. In studio I emphasize texture, movement, and drama in my semi-abstract acrylic artworks and mixed media portraits. I bring the same color obsession, drama, and movement to walls with my mural practice. Nature and the unique people surrounding me are my main inspirations. My art practice continues with a focus on community murals and mentorship of emerging artists.
JAYA FUN FACTS
In order: tacos, ramen, wings. Prefer in-person to in-stagram. My bird joins virtual meetings. I love a good spreadsheet. I am my mom’s tech support.
If you’re exploring a mural or public art project, I’d love to hear about it! Curious about how this all works? Check out my Mural FAQs or connect with me directly.
Large Scale Murals
I create custom large-scale murals for interior and exterior spaces, designed to reflect the identity and story of each site. My services include concept development, design, and on-site installation, with attention to integration with surrounding architecture and interiors.
I have experience with public-sector projects and balance schedules, budgets, and logistics. I am familiar navigating city processes like permitting and traffic coordination. I’m a clear, collaborative communicator and known for being detail-oriented, deadline-focused, and responsive. And yes, my team and I aren’t afraid of heights 😉
Our organization released a call for artists to take on the largest art mural project in the history of our district. Our main criteria was two fold: select a local artist, and ensure they were capable of executing extensive outreach to a diverse range of communities in our area to gather feedback for the mural.
When our selection committee decided upon Jaya, we met with her and immediately got to work. She laid out her plan to conduct outreach to schools, students, neighborhoods, businesses, and everyone in between.
She went above and beyond, and her work culminated with a community paint day and celebration. We now have one of the most beautiful pieces of art to showcase in our district thanks to Jaya and her team of amazing talent!We would work with her again and again!
Kendra Macias Reed
Non-profit Director, Franklin Boulevard Business Association
Polytab Murals
Polytab murals offer a flexible and proven approach to interior and exterior murals of any scale. Painted in my studio on a durable, non-woven fabric and installed on-site with a heavy-duty adhesive, this method has been in use since the 90s and is known for its longevity.
Because Polytab murals are created off-site and installed efficiently on location, they are a great solution for residential clients, developers, and institutions working within active spaces, tight timelines, or sites with limited on-site access. Polytab also makes community paint days more accessible and inclusive.
Have questions about Polytab? Check out my Polytab Murals FAQ
Jaya created the most amazing mural for our retail store building. In addition to being a visionary artist, she was an exceptional collaborator with multiple groups of stakeholders. She skillfully negotiated logistics with our landlord--the building owner--who had many opinions about the execution of the complex project.
She also demonstrated empathy and kindness while working with the survivors of sexual and domestic violence that WEAVE serves and engaged our staff members in creating the piece. The end result was art with a huge heart that tells a story that is unique to our organization.
Beth Hassett
Chief Executive Officer, WEAVE
Community Murals
Community murals are some of the most meaningful projects I take on. Each project is unique - shaped by the people involved, with engagement tailored to fit the scale, needs, and goals of the community. I’ve facilitated projects ranging from small, intimate groups to large public initiatives supported by cities and organizations.
Community participation can be woven into many phases of the process: from early concept development to hands-on paint days. These projects are deeply rewarding, often becoming not just a finished artwork, but a shared experience that builds connection, pride, and a lasting sense of place.
These projects are often commissioned by nonprofits, city arts programs, schools, neighborhood groups, and community-based organizations seeking meaningful public art rooted in collaboration.
Collaborating with Jaya as she conceived, planned, and created our stunning wall mural at Wellspring Women’s Center has been such a joyful experience. Not only is she extraordinarily prepared, professional, and a mega-talented artist, she is just a whole lot of fun to work with! Our mural depicting the beauty, strength and love of Wellspring’s women and children has already become a source of pride and nurtures a feeling of belonging at our Center.
Missy Kinder
Art Program Coordinator, Wellspring Women’s Center