GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The artwork seen on the windows inside one room of the Kent County Juvenile Detention Facility adds color to otherwise white cinder block walls. It's a part of a program led by a passionate instructor who is striving to inspire positive outcomes in youth.
“You can tell a story. You can express your emotions. This can calm your body,” local art instructor Jamari Taylor said.
Jamari Taylor is a Grand Rapids-based artist who's painted nine murals around the city of Grand Rapids.
She's a graduate of Grand Valley State University. But on Fridays, she's an art teacher at the Kent County Juvenile Detention Center.
Every Friday, Jamari says she's helping kids paint a better picture.
“It’s a goal to not only educate them through art, and through my knowledge of what I was able to learn as an art teacher, but to inspire and uplift them as well,” Taylor said.
Each piece of art has a thoughtful lesson behind it. Taylor's first class featured a lesson on abstract art and included positive affirmations.
In more ways than one, Taylor says this light work does some heavy lifting.
"People might say ... or not understand why something like this is so important. People might say these kids are in trouble: 'What are they doing in art class?' What do you say to people with that mindset?" FOX 17 reporter Julie Dunmire asked.
“Let's say my focus was, 'Oh, they’re in trouble.' So when they come in here, I’m not going to do much. I’m just going to ask them what they want to do. How is that impactful? How do we uplift them or transition their minds out of that troubled state? Right? I wouldn’t want to keep their mind here. As their art instructor, it gives me joy to be able to change that perspective,” Taylor responded.
Taylor says her lessons help students not only with their art skills but with social and emotional healing as well.
It's an important part of the process towards a brighter future, Taylor says.
She's proving with one paint brush, one hour's time, one child at a time is learning there is light on the other side of detention center walls.
“There’s someone who’s around my age following their dreams, right? So that can be impactful for them when they leave here and go out and have their freedom and figure out what their purpose is,” Taylor said.
Taylor's class is part of what's known as "Friday School" at the center. Educational classes like yoga, music therapy, art therapy, STEM classes and therapists among numerous other resources are made available that day.
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