▁Art ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁initi ates ▁an ▁exhibition ▁of ▁his ▁water colors ▁which ▁tra ve led ▁across ▁the ▁US ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁he ▁begins ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁water color ▁and ▁on ▁canvas ▁in ▁St . ▁Cro ix ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁is ▁strongly ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁physical ity ▁of ▁working ▁outside , ▁rem in is cent ▁of ▁Ta orm ina ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁confront ed ▁by ▁color ▁in ▁a ▁direct ▁and ▁decis ive ▁way . ▁ ▁Jenkins ▁gained ▁a ▁level ▁of ▁not or iety ▁when ▁his ▁paint ings ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award - n omin ated ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁movie ▁An ▁Un mar ried ▁Woman ▁directed ▁by ▁Paul ▁Maz ur sky .[ 3 2 ] ▁( Pe ople ▁Magazine , ▁June ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁during ▁a ▁long ▁stay ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean , ▁imp asto ▁begins ▁to ▁appear ▁in ▁Jenkins ' ▁paint ings ▁and ▁he ▁comple tes ▁Ph en omena ▁For cing ▁a ▁Pass age ▁at ▁the ▁Mark , ▁a ▁decis ive ▁painting ▁to ▁him ▁in ▁discover ing ▁the ▁sc rap ed ▁ve ils ▁with ▁pr ism ▁concentr ates . ▁▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁As ▁he ▁purs ued ▁working ▁in ▁ac ry lic ▁and ▁in ▁water color , ▁Jenkins ▁began ▁to ▁build ▁full - scale ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁Med itation ▁Mand ala ▁sculpt ure ▁in ▁steel ▁at