Michael Robinson, Gleaner Writer

FOR SOMEONE who has never been to Jamaica, Jerry Neville has clearly developed a unique connection with the island through art and music. Also known as 'Jeremiyah', the artist began his formal training in art in the 1970s, somewhere around the same time that he was first introduced to the reggae stylings of Ken Boothe and Jimmy Cliff.

The 1973 release of the Wailers first album, Catch A Fire, ignited what was to become a lifelong passion for Jeremiyah. He found the rhythms infectious and the strong themes of social justice and spirituality resonated with him.

Since the golden era of rockers, Neville has been involved with the promotion of reggae music in Scotland. He produced many posters for Ital Club, Scotland's first Jamaican-style sound system. His art was featured on numerous album covers and in Black Echoes magazine.

Jeremiyah's style is strong on graphic, with clean, smooth lines and bold colours that echo the art of Rastafari and Jamaica's intuitive artists that had its heyday in the 1970s. At first glance, his renditions appear simple. Upon closer inspection, however, his diligence and discipline become apparent in the repetition of line and stippling techniques that are the hallmark of his pieces. He also works in black and white, as seen in his pointillist portrait of Marcus Garvey and a recreation of a famous Bob Marley photo.

Neville's work is visually compelling and the content is inspiring and thought-provoking. 'The Lion Sleeps' is a portrait Marley, one of Neville's strongest influences, done as a take on 'The Sleeping Gypsy', a painting by French post-impressionist Henri Rousseau.

Reggae music

Since the '90s, Neville has delved even further into the world of reggae music. As a selector, he has played with Scotland-based roots sound system, Messenger, as well as with a reborn Ital Club and in several local clubs.

While he hopes to one day visit the home of the music that is his muse, Jeremiyah continues to express his passion as a way of giving back. "I hope," he says, "that my drawings can reflect just a little of the joy and inspiration that this great music has sustained me with over the years."