John Paul Jakub
Growing up a sick kid, in and out of hospitals, opened something up in me early — what I've come to call my tether to the nether. Visits from beings and creatures not from this world were a regular occurrence, whether anyone else believed it or not. I spent most of that time just trying to be normal — never disclosing the medical issues, never using them as a crutch. That's not how I want to live. We all have something.
That tether nearly cut both ways more than once. Two heart surgeries — one at seven, another at fourteen — saved my life each time and handed me a new lease on everything that came after. I don't carry it around like a tragedy. I carry it like proof I'm supposed to be here, making what I make.
Art is my therapy. Instead of submitting to the darkness, I turned to art and comedy. I believe there's dark inside the light and light inside the dark, and most of what I make is really just me choosing, piece by piece, which way to sway.
I grew up between Mississauga and Oakville, Ontario. I've been painting for six years now, moving across acrylic, watercolor and gouache, mixed media, digital work, and photography. People regularly find symbols and meanings in the work that I never consciously placed there — I've stopped being surprised by it.
Over that time I've sold more than 60 original works directly to collectors — no gallery, no ads, just the work finding its people. That part still means the most to me. But I'm ready for it to reach further, which is part of why I'm opening up more of the collection now.
Painting is where I live, but not the only room in the house. You'll also find my photography, a fashion project (stupidexpensive.com), music, and writing here. The paintings themselves carry my full name — Jakubowski — as their signature.
— John Paul Jakub
Painting
Acrylic, watercolor and gouache, and mixed media — six years of work exploring what exists just beyond the visible. Signed JAKUBOWSKI.
View Fine Art →Photography
Portraits and moments shot with the same instinct that drives the paintings — same eye, different medium.
View Photography →Music
Over 50 original electronica tracks produced to date, alongside voice over and commercial radio ad production.
Hear the Work →Writing
SUPERMANtras to Postpone the Apocalypse — 100 illustrated mantras, published under the pen name JANSKi.
Get the Book →Fashion
Stupid Expensive — a satirical luxury streetwear label blending fine art, cyberpunk aesthetics, and hand-signed drops.
Visit Stupid Expensive ↗What I bring to a project
Creative Direction
Building a visual identity from the ground up — color, type, motif, mood — and carrying it consistently across every touchpoint, from a single piece to a full brand system.
Proof: this site, built and art-directed end to end · the Stupid Expensive brand system
Illustration & Fine Art
Original paintings and mixed media, available for collection or commission — bold linework, raw color, a style that's been described as unmistakable.
Proof: 60+ original works sold and collected worldwide, no gallery, no ads
Photography
Portrait and editorial work with an eye trained by years of painting composition — light, framing, and mood carried over from canvas to camera.
Proof: full editorial series across golden hour, studio, and location shoots
Music, Voice & Audio Production
Original production across house, electronica, and dance, plus voice-over work and collaborations with other artists — commercial and radio ad production available on request.
Proof: 57+ tracks produced across six aliases and 20 years
Brand & Fashion
Founder and creative director of a full apparel brand — concept, product, packaging, and production handled from the ground up.
Proof: Stupid Expensive, launched and in active production
Writing & Publishing
Concept-to-shelf book production — writing, illustration, layout, and self-publishing, handled independently start to finish.
Proof: SUPERMANtras to Postpone the Apocalypse, live on Amazon KDP
If any of this fits what you're working on, I'd like to hear about it.
Work With Me →