While attending the 2014 AFC Festival at Grouse Mountain, I was able to enjoy a close up view of various birds of prey at rest upon the gloved hands of their handlers. The interrelationship between human and bird had such a strong presence that I found myself unable to detach the two in my mind. 'Riding the Gauntlet' is the result of this impression, while emphasizing the bird's experience.

Medium: Oil on Russian Birch