Today we’d like to introduce you to Lyrikal Jenkins.
Hi Lyrikal, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Before I begin, I would like to thank you for choosing me to be a part of this interview. Memphis is filled with so many talented individuals which is why I’m so glad I get to showcase mine today. My name is Lyrikal Jenkins. No, I can’t sing so please don’t ask me haha. I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up, I’ve always enjoyed art, but I didn’t take it seriously until middle school. That’s when I was introduced to real art competitions.
I attended Colonial Middle school and Overton High School. They’re both performing arts schools which meant I had to audition in order to be accepted into the CAPA Program (Creative And Performing Arts). I was accepted into CAPA Art and have enjoyed it ever since. At the age of 12, I started my own business called Amazing Creations by Lyrikal. At the time, my goal was to make my own money so that I wouldn’t have to always depend on my parents. Starting off, my business primarily focused on utilizing duct tape to create products such as purses, wallets, hair bows, bowties, etc.
Crazy, right? It was kind of popular back then and a lot of fun. One of my earliest memories from this was when my mom and I stayed up all night creating duct tape rose pens. If I’m not mistaken, we made 30 of them which were $1 each. I decided to take them to the church I attended at the time and guess what?! I sold all of those pens. That basically motivated me to keep going.
Fast forward to career day in high school. I think this may have been around my sophomore year (10th grade). I wouldn’t say I disliked career day because it was always fun getting out of the classroom, but they’re usually isn’t anyone there who I could truly relate to. My career focus was art, so talking to a firefighter, military personnel, etc. just felt odd at times. But, guess what? There was this one person who stood out the most. His name is Jared Small. Mr. Jared is a locally renowned artist who also attended Overton High School.
I didn’t know this at first. He was the only painter there and I remember seeing one of his pieces on display and thinking about how cool it was. After that, I didn’t really think much about career day or the people I met. However, in December 2019, I felt like I was not thriving as much as I should have been as an artist. So, I decided to reach out to someone for help. I contacted Mr. Jared on Instagram and asked if I could shadow him for a day.
I honestly didn’t think he would even respond because three days went by and I didn’t get a response. I felt kind of bad, but on the fourth day, I received a message from him, and ever since then I’ve considered him to be my art mentor. Prior to meeting Mr. Jared I never truly had just one artist that I could relate to or look up to which may sound crazy because most artists have someone they look up to, but I didn’t.
The first time I stepped foot into his studio I couldn’t believe it. Not only was I excited, but being there gave me hope and reassurance that I made the right career decision. Mr. Jared and his wife also made me feel welcomed and were eager to answer any questions I had.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course not. Life is filled with trials and tribulations, but that’s the beauty of it. To be honest, I was faced with multiple challenges prior to this interview which affected me personally. I have a part time job and I do art whenever I’m free. I’ve been at the job that I’m currently at for a little over a year now. Working there hasn’t always been easy.
There have been multiple incidents that took place at my job and I expressed to my managers that my coworkers and I did not feel safe working there due to the lack of security. Afterwards, it seems as if I was discriminated against for speaking up. My hours were affected immediately. They decided to take me off of the schedule for 6 consecutive days. This has never happened before so I was kind of surprised, but I tried not to think too much about it. Honestly, I was happy because that gave me more time to do art which is my passion. I went to work a few days after and everything was fine. Or at least I thought it was. I checked my work schedule and it happened again, but this time I had been taken off of the schedule for two weeks. As a result, I was not on the schedule for about 3 weeks. That’s when I started to become more aware of how serious this was getting. I have bills to pay and I have to be able to provide for myself. So, losing hours was not helping at all.
Long story short, God has been with me throughout my whole journey and continues to bless me despite the obstacles thrown my way. I also have a great support system, my mom, step-dad, and little brother. They keep me motivated and are always there when I need them. I’ve thought about quitting art so many times, but my mom always tells us, “quitting is not an option.” She means it every time she says it too haha. If she sees that we’re passionate about something she’s going to make sure we work hard and reach our full potential because she loves us and knows what we’re capable of. I used to joke around with my mom and say things like, “If you need me, I’ll be in my studio.” At the time I was always referring to my small bedroom. Two months ago, I said the same thing to her, but this time I actually meant it. I’ve been working so hard and on January 26th, 2022 that hard work paid off. My mom took me to one of the places we looked at previously. I signed the papers and was blessed with my own art studio. One of the best feelings ever.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I don’t think I’ve found my “style” yet in regards to art. However, my favorite medium to utilize is acrylic paint. Some of the work that I’ve done in the past can be described as straightforward and meaningful. I’ve recently been trying to focus on topics that are typically seen as “taboo.” I prefer to make art that makes people question what they’re looking at and understand what makes them gravitate towards it.
If a conversation gets started just by looking at my art, then I believe I’ve succeeded. I’m currently the President of the No More Silence Foundation. It’s a non-profit here in Memphis. At the NMSF, we provide coping mechanisms through the arts using multiple educational strategies to help children and families heal after sexual abuse trauma. I’m grateful to be able to share my gifts with the many children and families I meet.
Most people who know about Amazing Creations by Lyrikal are familiar with the paint parties and paint by number kits that I have. I enjoy hosting paint parties for all ages. I even volunteer my time at nursing homes and paint with the elders. They’re so talented! My ACBL Paint by Numbers Kits is what I’m most proud of at the moment. I created these paint kits during 2020 which was the year COVID-19 became prevalent.
Most people were truly affected by this which caused isolation and depression. I wanted to alter the impact COVID had on people. Since we weren’t able to go out and enjoy the city as much, I wanted to bring the city to families in an effort to make their time at home more enjoyable and bring them closer to their families.
I found a quote one day and saved it as my phone’s wallpaper. It states, “ Your art is the antidote to so many people’s pain, yet you keep it to yourself…” That’s been my wallpaper for a few months now and it’s resonated with me. I truly believe it. I feel like I don’t share my artistic talent at times because I’m afraid of failure, but as a result of that, I’m keeping away the very thing that could be the answer to someone’s problem.
Art. Something that sets me apart from other artists is the fact that I’ve found a way to allow my customers and supporters to become a part of the art process. The smiles on their faces after they see what they’ve created is one of the best things.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I don’t even know what I’m going to eat for breakfast tomorrow! Hahaha!
All jokes aside, I hope to see my art in well-known galleries and in the homes of so many families. I’m still working hard and keeping God first because I know that there are so many things that wouldn’t be possible without him. I’m excited and I hope that you all continue to follow my journey.
Contact Info:
- Email: creationsbylyrikal@gmail.com
- Website: www.amazingcreationsbylyrikal.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amazingcreationsbylyrikal/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmazingCreationsbyLyrikal/
