From Canvas to Community: Jamari Taylor Expands Jaylei Art Across West Michigan

The Chronicle News
1 day ago
6 min read

Courtesy Photo: Jamari creates bold portraits that capture beauty to create meaningful connections. Jamari uses her portrait skills as a way to uplift and get others inspired through an artist's vision. Jamari received her BA in Studio Arts with an emphasis in Illustration from Grand Valley State University. Through her business, Jaylei Art, Jamari has been able to expand connections in a variety of ways through the art community.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — When The Chronicle News first shared Jamari Taylor’s story, her work already extended far beyond the canvas. Through Jaylei Art, the Battle Creek native and Grand Rapids artist had developed a growing practice centered on portraiture, murals, youth programming, and the belief that creativity can become a tool for healing and connection. Since then, Taylor has continued expanding her presence throughout Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, and other West Michigan communities. Her growing body of work reflects what can happen when artistic talent is combined with entrepreneurship, education, and a commitment to community.

Taylor, a 2019 graduate of Grand Valley State University, operates Jaylei Art Studio in Grand Rapids while maintaining strong connections to her hometown of Battle Creek. This summer, she partnered with Grand Valley State University to offer the free Create With a Twist art program at the university’s Battle Creek Innovation Hub. The eight-week program gives young people opportunities to explore different artistic techniques and materials in an accessible environment. The partnership represents another step in Taylor’s effort to make meaningful arts programming available to youth throughout West Michigan.

Taylor’s relationship with Grand Valley has continued to develop since her graduation from the university. The Battle Creek programming grew in part from a mural Taylor created at the Grand Valley State University Battle Creek Innovation Hub. That project led to additional conversations about ways Taylor and the university could collaborate to increase opportunities for young artists. For Taylor, the partnership also brings her journey full circle by allowing her to work with an institution that played an important role in her own artistic development.

The free summer programming is only one part of what has been an active season for Jaylei Art. Taylor also offered four weeks of Create With a Twist programming at Fuller Avenue Church in Grand Rapids, with classes held on Wednesdays and Thursdays from July 15 through Aug. 6. Other summer activities included family painting experiences, Coffee N’ Paint events, live painting, youth programming, and community gatherings throughout the region. Together, the events illustrate the broad range of audiences Taylor is reaching through art.

Taylor has also continued to strengthen her presence in Battle Creek through community-centered arts programming. Jaylei Art participated in the Jaylei Art Youth Auction in partnership with Uproot Market & Eatery on Aug. 15, creating another platform for young artists to have their work seen and celebrated. She was also involved in Color the Creek, Battle Creek’s annual mural festival that transforms buildings and public spaces through artwork created by local and visiting artists. The festival has become one of the region’s most visible celebrations of public art and provides artists with opportunities to help tell the stories of the community through large-scale creative work.

Public art has become an increasingly important part of Taylor’s career. Grand Valley State University has reported that Taylor has completed 35 murals across Michigan, while six of her works are included in the Grand Valley Art Museum collection. Her murals can be found in communities throughout the state and frequently highlight history, identity, culture, and people whose stories deserve greater visibility. What began as an individual artistic practice has developed into a career that allows Taylor to place meaningful art directly into public spaces.

One of Taylor’s notable Grand Rapids projects is “The Beverly Sisters,” a mural honoring Ethel Beverly Burgess and Hattie Beverly. The two Black women played important roles in the history of Grand Rapids, with Burgess helping establish what became the Urban League of West Michigan and Beverly becoming the first African American teacher in Grand Rapids Public Schools. Taylor’s mural is part of the Heartside Historic Mural Project and is located at 106 South Division Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids. By placing the women’s images in a prominent public space, Taylor helped introduce their contributions to residents and visitors who might otherwise never encounter their stories.

Jamari has designed over 20 murals for businesses throughout West Michigan. A mural of Ida B. Wells in Calvin University Sociology and Social Work Department, a mural banner through Color The Creek for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Headquarters, a wood panel mural Tell Us We Matter, a part of the Grand Valley State University permanent art collection, and brightening up the 49507 neighborhood of Grand Rapids with a mural at KZOO Station.

Taylor’s work has also been featured through ArtPrize, one of Grand Rapids’ largest and most recognizable cultural events. She has participated in the international art competition multiple times, including presenting “The 4 L’s,” a piece that explores Black identity, history, and the cultural meaning of head wraps. Taylor has previously reflected on attending ArtPrize as a student and imagining what it would be like to have her own work included in the competition. Years later, she became one of the artists whose work is viewed by the next generation of students, families, and aspiring creatives walking through downtown Grand Rapids.

Her progression from student to professional artist, muralist, studio owner, and instructor has occurred through a steady combination of work, relationships, and community trust. Taylor has spoken about the importance of building genuine connections rather than relying solely on social media to develop her business. By attending events, meeting community leaders, and connecting with organizations serving children and families, she created opportunities that eventually grew into murals, teaching programs, partnerships, and commissioned artwork. Her experience demonstrates how relationship building can become an important part of entrepreneurship, particularly for artists working within local communities.

Jaylei Art Studio has become another important piece of Taylor’s growing West Michigan footprint. Located at 211 Spencer Avenue NE in Grand Rapids, the studio offers painting experiences, youth programs, group activities, and other opportunities for people to engage with art in a relaxed setting. Taylor has used the space to make art more approachable for people who may not consider themselves artists or who have had limited access to formal arts programming. The studio also provides an environment where families and young people can create together rather than viewing art only from the outside.

Taylor’s work with young people remains central to the mission of Jaylei Art. Donations to the organization help support free programming for students from the Kent County Juvenile Center, community events, and other educational opportunities. Taylor has consistently emphasized that art can give young people a way to process emotions, develop confidence, and discover abilities they may not have recognized in themselves. That approach connects directly to the message of healing through art that has shaped her work since The Chronicle first introduced her to readers.

Her programming also demonstrates that Jaylei Art is not limited to children or traditional classroom experiences. Events such as Coffee N’ Paint and family painting sessions have created opportunities for adults and families to experience art as recreation, connection, and self-expression. On Aug. 29, Taylor will host an After Dark Laugh, Sip, & Paint event featuring comedian Mike Logan, combining comedy, painting, and entertainment in one experience. These events allow Taylor to reach different audiences while maintaining the welcoming atmosphere that has become part of the Jaylei Art identity.

Taylor’s work across Grand Rapids and Battle Creek also reflects the expanding role artists can play within local economies. Artists increasingly operate as entrepreneurs, educators, business owners, cultural historians, and community partners in addition to creating individual works of art. Taylor’s career touches each of those areas, allowing her to build a sustainable creative business while continuing to provide programs and experiences that benefit others. Her success offers another example of how creative industries can contribute to both economic activity and community development.

Her continued connection to Battle Creek is particularly significant because Taylor has not treated professional growth as something that required leaving her hometown behind. Instead, she has used her expanding platform in Grand Rapids to create opportunities in both communities. Programs at the Battle Creek Innovation Hub, Color the Creek, and other local collaborations demonstrate her continuing investment in the city where her journey began. At the same time, her Grand Rapids studio and public artwork have established her as an increasingly visible part of the cultural landscape in West Michigan.

For Taylor, some of the most meaningful results of that growth may not be measured by the number of murals painted or events hosted. They can be found in a child completing a first painting, a family creating something together, or a young artist beginning to see creativity as a possible career. They can also be found in a mural that gives an overlooked piece of Black history a permanent place on a city wall. Those moments help explain why community remains so closely connected to the work Taylor continues to build.

When The Chronicle first told Taylor’s story, healing through art was already at the center of her vision. Her platform is larger today, but the purpose behind it remains remarkably consistent. She is continuing to create spaces where people can express themselves, learn, connect, and see their own experiences reflected through art. What began on a canvas has grown into something much larger, with communities across Michigan becoming part of the picture.