Jay Durrah
Exhibiting Artist
United States Embassy, Rome, Italy
Tri Mission Art Gallery
May, 2016
United States Embassy, Rome, Italy
Tri Mission Art Gallery
May, 2016
Hold Your Head High
Oil, 36 x 36 in., 2015
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Bio
Jay Durrah is a modern day impressionist and self-taught artist from the Washington, DC metro area. Durrah attributes his talent as a God given gift. He has been creating art since the age of nine. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Howard University. Artist Statement “My style is based on principles that transcend boundaries. I apply multiple layers of pigment to canvases to produce colorful portraits of people. The multiple layers of color represent the many ethnicities. These combine to make each of us |
uniquely beautiful. By avoiding traditional skin tones in my portraits, I reject the isms that polarize our humanity. Don't get me wrong, I feel that we should embrace our ethnicity, but I refuse to be held back by limitations that others try to impose because of it. ”I had my niece in mind when I painted Hold Your Head High. Like many young women, she perse-vered against what seemed like insurmountable odds. She is poised to face all obstacles, in an effort to enhance the quality of life for her family and community.” 
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