Realistic Wildlife Art by Don Eberhart

Years ago, when my son was just a baby, I would put him in a child backpack and take walks in the woods. He loved seeing the animals and birds and would always squeal in delight upon seeing them. In one of these walks we came upon a mountain lion and her kits. She was about 100 yards up the hill in some rocks and was watching us. My son spotted them and went ballistic on my back, yelling "titty, titty, titty". We watched each other for a while, all the time I am talking to her telling her how beautiful her family is. I saw her a few more times when I was alone in the woods. I always felt that the first contact with her was important in that we were both showing off our family and she understood this. I painted her alone where I first saw her, contented and just taking it easy.