Walnut Gallery presents a collection of fine art photography by internationally celebrated artists and doctors David Cummings, Donald Stewart, and Cesar Fernandez. The exhibition will be the featured attraction of the 2012 Walnut Gala. The Gala will also serve as the opening reception. The work will be on display until May 11 and may be viewed by appointment or during Walnut Gallery’s normal operating hours, every Friday from 1 to 7 pm. Header image: Detail from “Cambodia” by David Cummings.
About the artists
Donald Stewart
Donald Stewart is a self-taught photographer who works mainly with medium and large format cameras. He uses traditional darkroom techniques, developing and printing all his own work and works exclusively in black and white. His prints are mainly silver gelatin but he also produces palladium and cyanotype prints.
He has been a member of the Royal Photographic Society for many years and was awarded a Fellowship (FRPS), the highest distinction of the Society, in Contemporary Photography in 2010. Donald has also been awarded Associateships (ARPS) in Visual Art and the History of Photography. He is the Chair of the RPS Historical Group and his personal interest is in American Photography. Donald is also an Honorary Member of Dundee Photographic Society and an active member of Scottish Photographers, an independent group of photographers in Scotland or with Scottish connections.
He lives in a small village 30 miles north of Edinburgh with his wife Janet and their three cats, Layla, Sam and Rousay.
David Cummings
David Cummings, a native of Birmingham, has practiced dentistry in Anniston since 1980, and has been a photo enthusiast for over thirty-five years. He is an avid collector in addition to producing his own fine art photographs. Although traditional black and white prints have been his primary medium, he now works digitally as well to create his images. For thirty years David’s main photographic series has been “Holy Places,” and he has traveled to all seven continents looking for places of reverence, peace, and worship.
David has had solo exhibitions of his black-and-white work in museums in Anniston and Dothan, Alabama, and his work has been published in both the books and magazines of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. He had two prints in the 153rd Annual International Print Exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society, which was exhibited widely in Europe in 2010. David is also the president of the Visual Arts Society in Jacksonville, Alabama.
Cesar Fernandez
Sprawling African vistas, rare and beautiful flowers, and exotic animals in their natural habitat are but a few hallmarks of the photography of Dr. Cesar Fernandez. The Dominican Republic-born Birmingham resident discovered photography as a way to express his love of nature and passion for adventure. “My parents gave me a camera, and I have never had any prior photography or graphic design education,” explains Dr. Fernandez, a self-taught artist. “My style is almost ‘documentary’ as I always try to showcase my subjects as close to reality as possible.” Cesar chooses to exercise his artistry ‘in the moment’ through his choice of exposure, angle, and composition instead of relying on post-production and image manipulation. “I photograph what I love and inspires me, and nothing exalts me more than nature and the outdoors.” His nature photography has garnered numerous awards both locally and abroad. One of his photos was named “Best In Show” at the Gadsden Museum of Art’s 2003 Photography Competition while a vast collection of his work was selected for display in his native Dominican Republic in the nation’s capital, Santo Domingo.