The afternoon of eclipse day (4/8/24) inspired the first painting in the Timberline Series. The spring conditions were perfect - warm sun, no clouds and little wind, and the day culminated in a pilgrimage to the top for the eclipse and then a communal ‘last chair ride’ like no other. It was an unforgettable experience, and I pondered painting the sky gazers at the summit during those strange few minutes of the totality.