Whilst living in Qatar (2013 to 2016), I was inspired by this beautiful bird. Falconry began over 5,000 years ago in Iran and spread across the East and West over the centuries. It was introduced to Qatar through the Bedouin tribes, who found it easier to let a raptor take down migrating birds than to hunt them by hand, laying the foundation for the modern sport still practiced today.
What stayed with me most was watching these birds up close, hooded and tethered, carried proudly on the arm, even by children, as a symbol of heritage and status. There was something quietly striking about it, a creature built for open sky, standing still, admired yet restrained. This painting is my reflection on that tension, between tradition and captivity, pride and stillness, beauty and restraint. It does not judge a culture or history stretching back thousands of years. It simply asks a quiet question I could not stop asking myself: what would this falcon look like if it were finally allowed to fly freely without permission.
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Title: Falcon Technique: Mixed Media on Canvas Year Painted: 2013 Original Sold | Prints Available
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