Abstract
Eric Peake is one of the foremost bird artists in Britain. He has that rare ability to capture in his paintings not only the mood and stance of a living bird, but also the exquisite texture and warmth of feathers.
His work includes all aspects of wildlife, but birds are his favorite subject. He paints in water colors and gouache, from life studies, skins, or from photographs, and the main theme of each painting is the subject in perfect detail, with as little distraction of background as possible. In order to present the detail to best advantage, the birds are as near life size as possible.
Eric's art work is well known in avi-
culture circles. His superb prints of the 1980 'Ideal Budgerigar' will be sold all over the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain. He also designed the Challenge Certificates for the Budgerigar Society in 1978.
Paintings of rare or exotic birds are often commissioned by aviculrurists. Members of the World Pheasant Association have recently commissioned paintings of a Cabots Tragopan Pheasant, one of the world's rarest birds; and a Javanese Green Peafowl, another very rare bird. Limited editions of prints of both of these paintings are currently being prepared.
Other prints being prepared at present include paintings of popular British birds, (Robin, Blue Tit, Nuthatch and Wren) which will be sold mainly in Europe, and paintings of several species of owls, due out in 1981.
Several paintings are also being prepared as Christmas cards, including one of Red Breasted Geese for the British Waterfowl Association.
He works in conjunction with each of the main bird societies in Britain, and there have been several major exhibitions of his work. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are displaying his paintings at the Autumn and Christmas Exhibitions, and he is one of the leading artists whose work was exhibited by the World Wildlife Fund in North Wales in December 1980. Paintings have recently been exhibited by the Wildfowl Association of Great Britain and Ireland. The North of England Zoological Society will hold a 'one man' exhibition of Eric's work next autumn at Chester Zoo, where twenty paintings of rare birds will be on show, including the Greater Palm Cockatoo, Rothchild's Grackle, and Snowy Owl.
His paintings have been displayed in most leading art galleries in Britain, including the Royal Academy, the renowned Pantiles in Kent, and the Tryon Gallery, which is one of the most famous wildlife galleries in the world.
Eric is now 40 years old. He gave up his post as a lecturer in 1976, so that he could devote full time to painting. He lives with his wife and two daughters in North Wales. His small, immaculately clean and well organized studio is an extension to the rear of his house, and looks out over his aviaries, containing some of Britain's champion budgerigars.
He is equally well known for his expertise with budgies. He has been a member of the General Council of the Budgerigar Society for several years, and he has judged at all major shows in Britain, including the World Budgerigar Show held in Leicester in 1978 and the National Exhibition held in London in 1977. He is currently President of the Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Budgerigar Society.
As an acknowledged expert on the species, Eric is a regular contributor for the journal 'Cage and Aviary Birds', and occasionally for magazines in Canada and the United States.
He also lectures in Britain and abroad.
In May 1981 he will be speaking in Philadelphia and in New York, and he will also judge a show in Pennsylvania. On this same visit to the United States, he will be bringing many examples of his work, including several excellent paintings of exhibition budgerigars.