Chris Maynard works exclusively with feathers in new and innovative ways. Using eye surgical tools to make detailed cuts, Maynard arranges compositions that continue to surprise and delight the viewer. Maynard retains the three – dimensional shape of the feather which gives him the opportunity to work with light and shadows. Each of his shadowbox creations make up an interesting story courtesy of the feathers, the birds that grow and shed them, and the personal interactions with people associated with the feathers.

Feathers are possibly the most widely and commonly used symbol of human striving. They represent flight, transcendence, hope and movement. Most of the feathers come from private aviaries and zoos after the birds have naturally shed them. Shed feathers represent gentleness, a refuge from life’s harshness. The birds grow, shed them and yet they retain their beauty, their complex structure and something of the essence of the bird. Any visual artist attempts to capture an essence of life. Feathers already carry an essence of the birds I portray. They are perfect artworks by themselves.

Chris Maynard

This will be Chris Maynard’s fourth consecutive one-man show at the Gerald Peters Gallery. Maynard’s beautifully written and photographed book, Feathers: Form and Function, will be available for purchase.