Durant Thompson is a Professor of Art and the Area Head of Sculpture in the Department of Art and Art History at The University of Mississippi. He is also the BFA Program Coordinator for the department. In 1997, he received a BFA in Sculpture from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and in 2001 he earned an MFA in Sculpture from Louisiana State University. Durant has also worked at The Johnson Atelier School of Technical Sculpture in New Jersey as a metal fabrication specialist and the University of Southern Mississippi /LSU as a technician/instructor before accepting his current position. In 2015, Durant cofounded the Yokna Sculpture Trail in Oxford Mississippi in association with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, The University of Mississippi and the City of Oxford.n 2011 Durant was awarded a Mississippi Arts Commission Fellowship through funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. He has also has several works in permanent collections including Hattiesburg Area Historical Society Museum in Hattiesburg, MS and the Talsi Regional Museum, Talsi, Latvia. Durant has given artist's lectures on his work and research at the University of Tennessee, Louisiana State University, Nicholls State University, Jackson State University, University of Mississippi Museum, the University of Louisiana Monroe and the University of Southern Mississippi. He has also conducted workshops at the National Ornamental Metals Museum in Memphis, TN, the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS, Keen Foundry in Houston, TX and the Johnson Atelier School of Technical Sculpture in Mercerville, NJ.