One Year On: JYMA Reflects on Faith, Art & Me

 

In May 2024, JYMA held his debut solo exhibition Faith, Art & Me at Carlisle Cathedral—a milestone moment in his creative journey. A year later, we caught up with JYMA to reflect on how the experience has shaped his artistic development and where his practice is heading now.

 

How do you feel you’ve changed as an artist since your solo exhibition?

I am more confident with ideas about my artwork – both visual art and my writing.

 

What did the exhibition teach you about your own creative process?

When I put my mind to it, I can do good things. My exhibition in the Cathedral was a positive experience as far as I was concerned because it gave me something to aim at.

 

Have your goals or ambitions changed over the past year? If so, how?

My goal, ambitions, have changed over the past year, yes. Through the work I do at Prism as well as the work I do at home, I believe everything is to play for. There is nothing I cannot achieve if I put my mind to. And work hard, obviously.

 

Looking back, how do you feel about the work you presented?

I am proud of my artwork selected for the Faith, Art & Me exhibition. I like to think the artwork included in the exhibit accurately represented who I am as a person, not just an artist.

 

Did the exhibition influence the kind of work you’ve made since?

I would say while the exhibition does not appear to have influenced my visual art – my religious faith inspires my visual art. The exhibition serves to remind me what sometimes happens. ‘If it happened once, it could happen again.’

 

How did it feel to share your work in such a public way for the first time?

First, I want to say to have an opportunity to share my artwork in Carlisle Cathedral was a treat. Secondly, the support I received from Prism meant a great deal. The combination of Prism’s support and the exhibition has given my artwork credibility.

 

What kind of feedback did you receive from visitors or peers?

Really positive feedback. It felt good to see my artwork move people. The many positive comments in the Visitors Book were positive, which pleased me.

 

Has your confidence grown since having your solo exhibition?

Absolutely. Faith, Art & Me solo exhibition in Carlisle Cathedral on my CV gives me confidence to keep on keeping on.

 

What was the most memorable part of the solo exhibition experience?

Deciding which artwork to include in the exhibition was fun. I enjoyed that. Preview night: meeting people from all levels of society was a memorable experience. One I will never forget.

 

What part of the experience are you most proud of?

Difficult one, that. The buildup to the exhibition, the preview night, and the reaction from the public who visited—it all fills me with pride.

 

Are there any new themes or projects you’re exploring now?

At home, I am busy working on an updated version of ‘Stations of the Cross’ – a theme I return to repeatedly. I am also developing a full-length play, currently titled ‘Cheryl’s Monologue.’ Set in the Chinese Gardens, it has a style and tone that fans of Shirley Valentine will appreciate.

At Prism, I am working on ‘Woke Trinity,’ a collection of three poems – ‘War Poem,’ ‘My Hope for Woke’ and ‘A Life Without Art’ – that, I believe, reveal who I am and reflect my values. Additionally, Eh Joe, a play by Samuel Beckett, is in the pipeline. However, whether the production moves forward will depend on securing financial support from the Arts Council.

 

Where would you like your practice to be this time next year?

I lack credibility, and I am determined to improve this. At home, I am working hard on ‘Cheryl’s Monologue.’ Not finished yet but is getting there—my best piece of writing so far. Fingers crossed, one day ‘Cheryl’s Monologue’ will find a stage in front of a live audience.

I grew up in Botcherby and feel an undeniable pull towards the place – Botcherby is like a magnet. ‘Cheryl,’ the character in my monologue, lives in a one-bedroom flat in Botcherby, further highlighting my connection, for want of a better word, to the area.

Traditionally, ‘Stations of the Cross’ is set in Jerusalem, but I plan to work on a series of visual artworks set in Botcherby sometime in the next twelve months – a project I am excited about.

I am grateful for the support and guidance of my mam and dad, as well as Prism Arts, who have a remarkable knack of bringing people like me out of the shadows and into the limelight.

 

Final thoughts

As venues go for an art exhibition – especially this early in my artistic career – they don’t come much bigger than Carlisle Cathedral. As I said in my speech on Faith, Art & Me preview night: “Carlisle Cathedral is one of this country’s greatest medieval architectural masterpieces.”

To be able to add Faith, Art & Me Exhibition in Carlisle Cathedral to my CV is undoubtedly a feather in my cap – one that, arguably, may never be surpassed. I suppose what I’m really trying to say is that the entire experience was deeply humbling. And, needless to say, it is an experience I will never forget.