Artist Captures Saker Falcon Presence in Langley Gallery Exhibit

Claudia Pettis unveiled a collection of paintings centered on Joe, a saker falcon trained and cared for by local raptor educator Steve Layman, at Museo Gallery in Langley on December 9, 2025. The exhibit marks a notable shift in Pettis' subject matter from pastoral sheep studies to the concentrated presence of a bird of prey, and it foregrounds the physical and historical dimensions of falconry that inspired the series.

Pettis spent months studying falcon history and avian biology to capture the saker falcon's posture, plumage, and presence. The bird's hood, a small leather covering used in handling, emerged repeatedly as a visual motif, along with careful renderings of talons, eye shape, and feather texture. Those elements anchor the paintings in both the craft of falconry and the anatomy that gives the species its distinctive silhouette.

Steve Layman provided Joe and the practical perspective of a working falconer, enabling close observation and informed dialogue between trainer and artist. Their collaboration brought technical accuracy to Pettis' canvases while shaping the exhibit's narrative about the relationship between human caretakers and raptors. The result is a body of work that reads as both natural history study and contemporary portraiture.

For Langley and Island County the exhibit creates a cultural moment that links visual arts, wildlife education, and local heritage. Museo Gallery's December opening contributes to downtown foot traffic during a busy season for small businesses, and it offers opportunities for art sales, commissions, and educational programming tied to raptor biology and ethical falconry practice. The show also provides an accessible introduction to a regulated tradition that combines conservation awareness with hands on wildlife stewardship.

Pettis' transition from bucolic subjects to raptors reflects broader artistic interest in wildlife as a way to explore human connection to place and species. The Museo Gallery exhibit invites residents to see a familiar local practice through a refined aesthetic lens, and it places Island County into conversations about how art can document and deepen understanding of living traditions. The series is on view at Museo Gallery following the December 9 opening.