Jamaal Durr is a contemporary artist known for his mixed-media works and portrait drawings. To the students at On Purpose Academy, he’s known as Mr. J. He is a museum artist educator with Dayton Art Institute and facilitates art lessons in Preschool classrooms.
Jamaal began his time at On Purpose Academy by shadowing teachers and spending time in the classrooms. This helped prepare him for working with this age, learning more about the environment and establishing rapport with the children. As the summer progresses, Jamaal will add additional Ready to Read locations within the Hope Zone.
Kim Jarvis, owner and director of On Purpose Academy, would love to have J with them every day. "The kiddos look forward to seeing him and are sad when he leaves. He is a calming presence, even in the face of chaos. He exposes the children to new ideas and concepts, providing access to open up their minds to see beyond where they are. This experience is a blessing to our urban children, and exposure to art can change their perspective."