(Jamaican, b. 1976) Michelle S. Drummond was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. Early, her humble upbringing influenced her life’s driving her to focus on academia and playing field hockey to carve her path. A former member of the Jamaica Women’s Hockey Team, Michelle represented her country in various international events. In 1995, she was the first Jamaican national to be offered an academic scholarship to pursue undergraduate studies at the St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York while representing the University playing field hockey. Although technically inclined and pursing a degree in Mathematics, Computer Science and French, Michelle relented to her creativity and experimented with mixed media in her senior year. She later pursued post graduate education and a career in Project Management in Washington D.C. She eventually relocated to South Florida in 2018 to pursue her creativity full time.
Michelle realized from early on in her creative career that manipulating multicolored fiber and glue while incorporating acrylic paint on canvas was an avenue to help her navigate and cope in unfamiliar environments. Each piece created was a manifestation of experiences that were once suppressed or embraced and transcends the precincts of culture, religion, gender and ethnicity. The evolution of her work from 2-D to 3-D forms on and off wood panel correlates to her risk-taking tenacity and fearlessness to accept challenges that push the boundaries of her artistry while remaining authentic to her dexterity. Using solely multi-weighted and multicolored fiber and glue, she sculpts and enhances the forms with vibrant multi-colored effervescent hues that reference her Jamaican heritage, stimulating positive emotions. The whimsy of each fiber sculpture provides a softer alluring engagement with the viewer while delivering the intended message of self empowerment and optimism, increasing awareness of issues impacting human survival and evoking personal interpretations from the viewer.
In 2022, the City of West Palm Beach, FL commissioned, “The Metamorphosis”, created for the Mandel Public Library, minting Drummond as the first Black female artist to have received this honor. She continues to diversify her portfolio in public art with commissions awarded in 2023 and 2024 by the City of Boynton Beach, FL to create a 6ft “Sailfish Spinner” and the City of Miramar, FL where “Rain Showers”, a 10ft sculpture, is installed in the lobby of City Hall, respectively.
Drummond has had solo exhibitions at Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, October- December 2022, Cornell Art Museum and Pompano Beach Cultural Center in 2020. Participation in Red Dot Art Fair 2018 and Muse Art Fair 2019/2022 during Art Basel, Miami, Art Palm Beach 2019, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County 2021 Biennial and Island SPACE Caribbean Museum 2023. She has also been featured in Luxe Magazine, Broward + Palm Beach March/April 2022 issue, Delray Magazine September/October 2022 issue, Palm Beach Illustrated November 2022, The Arts Issue, Boca Magazine November/December 2022 issue and Ebony and Essence Magazines, Culture, November 2022 issue.
