BWAC Member Spotlight

Welcome to our Member Spotlight; a new feature to help introduce the world to our wonderful members. We are proud to be a member based organization providing exhibition and collaboration opportunities to artists working in various mediums.

We invite you to meet some of our talented members and featured artists as we “open the doors” to our artist community.

Anita Drumming

 I was born and raised in Queens. I moved to Manhattan to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, after which I was fortunate enough to get a job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. From there, I was hired at a gallery in Soho, and then a design firm, building a career in Graphic Design. I later joined an agency in midtown and ran their photography studio for five years. At the same time, I continued my education at The School of Visual Arts, The Arts Students League, The New School, and the International Center of Photography. I spent nine years in upstate NY before moving back to Queens and then to Brooklyn to focus on photography.

1. Who or what has been your biggest inspiration in your creative journey, and how has it influenced your work?

I admired the photography of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Eugène Atget and Eugene Smith. But my artistic style was inspired by the image, “Seeds and Cardboard,” by artist Gabriel Orozco. The image manages to tell a story with very simple elements.

2. Can you walk us through your creative process? What inspires your photographs?

I think that anything can make a great picture. I particularly like old, rusty scenes, but I also love nature. I look for ways to tell a relatable story by using lighting and composition to sculpt compelling images. I can sit for hours or return to a site when conditions are just right.

3. What message or emotion do you hope people take away from your photographs?

I hope that my work makes the viewer pause and imagine what is going on in the scene.

4. How has your style or approach evolved over the years?

My photographic approach has evolved where I am more focused on how and what I capture.

5. What is the biggest challenge you face as a photographer, and how do you overcome it?

My biggest challenge as a photographer has been to be recognized for my unique perspective. There is an expectation for a black, female artist to depict stereotypical experiences. But my work does not fit neatly into a category. My work is as varied as my life. As a result, I do not allow obvious labels on my work.

6. What do you consider your most significant achievement as a photographer so far?

In 2007, I was one of the winners in CameraArts Magazine, in the Single Image category for my photo titled, “The Canvas: A Self Portrait.”

7. Do you enhance your photographs? If so, using what programs or techniques?

Whether digital or film, I use Adobe Photoshop to process my images. I do not enhance, but I will adjust images for consistency, clarity, and size.

8. Has being a member and exhibiting at BWAC had any influence on your work, creative process or interaction with other artist?

Being a member and exhibiting at BWAC has given me more positive feedback that I could have imagined. It has been a wonderful experience sharing techniques and ideas with other artists.

9. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?

I have spent my career exploring the elemental details of architectural and organic forms for more illustrative images. Armed with my creative eye, I will continue to seek out the graphic and abstract nature of all things.