The Great American Eclipse

In case you somehow missed it, there was a total solar eclipse on Monday. Because we have been inundated with news of this eclipse for weeks now, I will spare you the explanation of why this was kind of a big deal. But, just so we’re clear, this eclipse was one of the most beautiful, breathtaking, magical, astonishing, wondrous, magnificent, and incredible events I have ever witnessed. Essentially, the GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE was totally worth the hype AND the hours spent in traffic.

To document this experience I drew each phase of the eclipse and marked the time. The whole eclipse experience took a bit over two hours. Out of necessity, most of the drawings were either blind or quasi-blind. For each drawing I used some combination of charcoal, eraser, a white pencil, and my fingers.

Some definite highlights were:

• 11:38 – It became very clear that total eclipse was imminent. The temperature had dropped, it grew darker, and a dog started freaking TF out. Though there is pretty much only anecdotal evidence about how eclipses affect animals, I chose to take the dog’s excessive barking as A SIGN.
• 11:49 – TOTAL ECLIPSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 1:14 – The sun remembered who TF she is (i.e. the eclipse was over).

A particularly magical moment that I couldn’t document in my drawings was the “diamond ring.” After total eclipse, as the moon starts to move on, the piece of the sun that becomes visible emerges in a brilliant flash of light and it sparkles like a diamond ring. In that moment I began to understand on a soul level why people become eclipse chasers.

Drawing this experience made me realize anew how art is a way to remember. It provides a record for us of people, experiences, places, ideas, and cultures. However simple my drawings are, when I look at them again I will remember what happened and how I felt about it. These drawings are an extension of me in those moments. In the face of a universe so awe-inspiring, I created something.