BIRDS OF PREY

As the first of five projects in an American Heritage series, Coheleach was asked, in a painting, to capture the spirit of freedom. The result was this spectacular portrait of a bald eagle. "One of the thrills in nature is looking at a good sky. When I lived in Florida, I used to sit on the porch and look at the sky, miles out across the ocean. Pam and I once sat out all day and an evening, just watching thunder-storms. We watched five at a time. I could paint thunderheads forever." Coheleach heightened the drama through skillful use of top- lighting on the clouds and by backlighting the eagle's dark wings.