Patrick Mavros has created some of the most extraordinary silver sculptures in Africa, on his estate in the wild hills outside Harare in Zimbabwe. Born and raised in Matabeleland (the wild, western province of Zimbabwe), the young Patrick developed a deep affinity for its wildlife, particularly the birds of prey. Like many an artist before him, he strove to capture the form and essence of the birds and animals on paper - as evidenced by his boyhood sketchpads. Mavros developed his own unique sculpting technique, using innate artistic skills and his acute eye for detail and essence. The more he worked, the more he was inspired to try more ambitious subjects. He experimented with various tools and materials, and, with the encouragement of his wife and family, was soon involved in his own full-time business. Most of his early pieces were one-offs. However, to meet growing demand and develop a more environmentally-sensitive product, he studied and adopted the age-old art of lost-wax casting, whereby a mould is used only once. This method ensures that every detail of the original is present in the casting, and that each resulting piece is individually hand-made. He decided on silver as a material in order to express both the precious nature and essential purity of his subject - wildlife.