A.D. Maynard @ Gallery 610

Brief Bio

A.D. Maynard is a West Virginia native who’s had a lifelong interest in art. She said she has specialized in photography her whole life, and exhibited some of her photos at the Huntington Museum of Art. While she always has been interested in art, Maynard worked in the corporate world, specifically academia, most of her life. Now, she says she is ready to return to art and get away from her career of being a university professor. “COVID, being the curse that it was, was the impotence of getting back into this,” Maynard said, “To be so isolated in a job where it’s all about relationships, it was very difficult for me.” During isolation, Maynard said she discovered a Facebook ad for a virtual art class. “I started seeing posts on Facebook for painting classes, specifically a group from London, and they were studying the masters and going over techniques,” she said. She explained that she got really into the class after she started taking it and enjoyed getting to talk to people during the hard time that it was for everyone.

Work on Display

Maynard said she has really pushed her boundaries as she takes her first steps into the “professional art world.” On display in Gallery 610 in the “My Heart’s Desire” Exhibit, she has decided to display abstract paintings, which she mentioned she started learning the technique in her new online painting class. One piece is titled, “Purge,” and is an acrylic painting on wood. She said, “This piece represents my heart’s desire to purge myself of the toxicity of past relationships so I can appreciate the gifts and lessons received while I was in them.” The second is titled, “Harmony,” which is an acrylic on canvas. “This piece represents my heart’s desire to live in harmony with my environment and enjoy its melodic rhythm,” Maynard said.