Justin Ek

Justin Ek is a Mankato, Minnesota-based artist and co-owner of Bellissimo Paint & Coating. A self-taught painter who transitioned from nursing school, Ek spent years studying experienced painters before developing his own bold, experimental style. His murals dot the Mankato region, from the Wooden Spoon beloved chicken Lovie to a towering silo in St. Peter. Ek also serves as community specialist at the Twin Rivers Council for the Arts and co-founded the Mankato Art Crawl and Day of the Dead celebration.