Shadow of the Moon: Art Journey to Totality
Did you catch the total solar eclipse earlier this week?
We all took a quick break from work to catch the partial eclipse from our HQ in Southern California. But our good bud and melin Fam, Skye Walker, went one step further and made the journey from San Diego to Austin to be in the direct path of totality. In true Skye fashion, he packed up the essentials - bike, art supplies, and camping gear to make sure it was an inspiring adventure out to Texas and back. We checked in with him to see what drove his decision to be in the pathway of the Shadow of the Moon.
melin: What spurred this decision to chase this eclipse?
Skye Walker: Once I heard the 2024 total solar eclipse was happening over North America and wouldn’t take place again for another 20 years, I knew I had to be there for it. I thought eclipses were cool, but didn’t know how different and rare each kind is. This eclipse will have the longest totality in over 200 years, and if you’re in the center line of it, that means 4+ minutes of totality.
What makes this eclipse so unique?
While this celestial event has been tracked for thousands of years, it’s quite unique and special.
So it inspired me to make a trip to Austin, Texas to witness it and create a bunch of art inspired by it. On March 27th, 2024, I packed up my truck with paints, canvases, camping gear, a few of my favorite melin hats and hit the road. I drove, camped, adventured and painted my way to Texas.
Fill us in on the journey!
I was able to paint a few murals in Austin, but ultimately, I was able to create an amazing painting the day of the eclipse. My plan is to find a spot, set up my truck and gear and paint all day, through the eclipse and after it’s over and make a painting that celebrates this celestial event. Time is so wild, the next time this happens I will be 20 years older… and I hope to make a similar journey to totality then as well.
What’s next?
The trek back home! So many awesome stops on the way out - Saguaro National Park in Arizona, visited longtime friends in New Mexico, and enjoyed exploring downtown Austin. I want to venture to a few new areas on my journey home. I have a few spots in mind so we will see, maybe pop into Southern Utah. I take most of my inspiration from nature, so this trip has been so rewarding, I really don’t want it to end. In the meantime though, be on the lookout for a special painting from this trip as you will have the opportunity to win it very soon!
Here’s a quick recap of Skye’s Shadow of the Moon: Art Journey to Totality.