http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS Thursday, September 5, 2024 39
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Executive Editor
Where ever Jamari Taylor goes,
there is paint.
And to her, that’s the realization
of a lifelong dream to make a liv-
ing as a professional artist, though
she never intended to paint gigantic
murals on the sides of buildings.
But once she accepted her first
invitation to participate in Battle
Creek’s Color the Creek in 2019,
demand for her work has exploded.
Now, she has 31 Michigan murals
under belt and last week, completed
her seventh Battle Creek mural at
Milk Like Mine at 223 E. Roosevelt
Street.
Another one of those seven murals
was above the front entrance to the
W.K. Kellogg Foundation for an
entire year, from August of 2022 to
August of 2023.
“It’s a fire sensation that I feel,
like, ‘wow,” she said, “this is still
happening, this is my career. I think
back to when I had my first appear-
ance at the art walk in 2015 so to
know that they’re still wanting me to
come back because, one, I’m able to
practice what I love and two, uplift
the community and inspire the youth
as well.”
It’s not all she does, though.
The Grand Rapids resident origi-
nally from Battle Creek also oper-
ates an art program at the Arts and
Culture Collective of Battle Creek
(ACCBC) located upstairs inside
First Congregational Church where
she mentors young, aspiring artists.
“I know that this can be inspiring
for other young children to see,”
said Taylor, while working on her
depiction of two moms with their
newborns babies. “Like, wow, ‘she’s
from here? I hope I can do that’ and
you can.”
In fact, her students will have their
own show next year at Cafe Rica in
downtown Battle Creek, she said.
This month, she makes her fourth
consecutive appearance at ArtPrize
at the African American Museum
as part of a group show called
“Empower”, in Grand Rapids Sept.
13-28.
“I’ll have one painting a part of
that,” she said.
Professional artist Jamari Taylor, top, who just completed her 2024 Color the
Creek mural at Milk Like Mine at 223 E. Roosevelt Street in Battle Creek, will
open a solo show at Kellogg Community College’s Davidson Center on Sept.
9 with opening reception Sept. 13. She is also part of a Grand Rapids ArtPrize
show called Empower at the African American Museum. Also pictured is
Milk Like Mine owner, Rickeshia Williams. (Shopper News photo by Shelly Kehrle-Sulser)Jamari Taylor paints B.C. mural, competes in ArtPrize, to have KCC show
As if that’s not enough, Taylor
is preparing for a solo exhibit at
the Kellogg Community College
Davidson Visual Arts Center starting
Sept. 9 with an opening reception
Sept. 13.
“I’m so nervous but I’m so excit-
ed,” said Taylor. “I’ll be there for the
opening reception.”
Taylor said she was asked by Milk
Like Mine’s Rickeshia Williams to
create the mural on the side of their
non-profit.
“I just think that I’m in love with
her work,” said Williams. “She’s
local. Our families are connected so
to me, it felt right for her to be the
person to do the mural. Essentially,
when we started the communications
about it, I sent her an idea and I said,
‘just capture the essence of the idea’
and she took it and made it some-
thing amazing. We’re eternally grate-
ful for her giving us the opportunity
to showcase the amazing work that
she does and of course that brings
attention to the work that we do, as
well so I think it’s a beautiful col-
laboration.”
Milk Like Mine is a non-profit
organization that provides lactationassistance, postpartum doula services
(support and guidance during labor),
mood disorder counseling, a father’s
group, and currently, three of the
12 staff members are training to be
a midwives so the organization can
add a birthing center.
The subject matter was very famil-
iar to Taylor, who became a mother
for the first time two years ago.
“I basically chose the structure of
family, love, compassion and kind
of what some mothers have to go
through when it comes to breast
feeding,” she said, “and of course
incorporate my love of nature so it’s
really a balance of family and giv-
ing others peace of mind when they
come and take a look at this.”CALL
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