ARTS: Electrician by day/Picasso by night

Jimmie Banks is leading a double life. If you see him around campus, his lanky frame covered in the dark blue uniform of a Duke electrician, you may notice his winning smile and warm nature, but you might not guess that his talents extend far beyond repairing loose wiring. In his spare time, Banks is an accomplished painter whose work is currently on display at the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. "It's hard to juggle two careers," he says, "but I love electric work and I love art and I try to keep focused on both."

Here at Duke, Banks works on West Campus and specializes in repairing lights in hallways and exit signs. Although it's hard to imagine that his artist's hands could be satisfied with holding light bulbs rather than paintbrushes all day long, he says there are certain skills common to both of his pursuits: They both require "the same eye," although "art takes more concentration."

Banks, now 42, has been painting since he was eight years old. He was only in the sixth grade when he began selling his artwork, designing posters and album covers and painting portraits of everybody in his family. The positive feedback and support he got from these early efforts encouraged him. "The expressions on their faces and how impressed they were just kept me going to get better and better," he explains. Banks continued to hone his skills at portraiture by painting celebrities. Several years ago, he was particularly proud of a portrait he painted of Oprah Winfrey, so he sent a copy to her. She was so impressed with the work that she showed the painting on air, and sent him a personal letter of recognition.

For the past several years, Banks has been developing a technique for collage that involves painstakingly layering black paper, cutout pictures, paint and textured glaze. The results of this combination of media are striking and slightly surreal. In the worlds Banks creates, furniture cutouts furnish ornate living rooms, cutout windows form the walls of painted mansions and cutout sports cars line long driveways. His exhibition at the Mary Lou Williams Center includes equal numbers of Banks' collage pieces and his portraits, which he says are still his favorite thing to paint. He considers the show, which premiered on Valentine's Day and will continue through this week, to be a huge success. "It was the biggest premiere" yet at the center, he says, his soft voice full of pride.

Banks' dedication to his art is evident, he says, the moment one walks into his home. "My house is filled up with artwork and my shed is filled up with art - that tells you how much time I put into it." Despite his busy work schedule and family life, he always finds time for his art. "I try to paint at least every other day," he explains, "and make sure I have time for my wife and my two kids; I have to juggle all of that."

It is this excitement, Banks says, that keeps him motivated. "Every time I see the people excited like, 'Wow, I got an artist right here in front of me!,' it pushed that button that makes me want to work harder."

Banks is now engaged in taking his work "to the next level," and the notoriety he has gained from his show at the Mary Lou Williams Center will help him achieve his goals. But for now, Jimmie Banks will continue to lead his double life, dreaming up ideas for his next painting as he carefully repairs exit signs.

• Macy Parker