How Scientific Illustration Shaped My Art (i.e. what I earned a degree in)

Did you know that I majored in scientific illustration at the University of Georgia?

Yes, that’s actually a major. 

Philadelphus inodorus by Courtney Khail

Using a preserved horticulture specimen, I painted this in watercolors by hand. I mixed each color to match the exact color of the dried plant perfectly making sure to capture the different colors in the creases and the front and back of the leaves. If you look closely, you’ll even see that I painted the tape holding the branch to the paper! (And those stamps? Those are painted to resemble the original stamp as well.)

If you’re like 95% of the people I talk to, you very well have no clue what scientific illustration is (which is totally fine. The 5% that do know are probably scientific illustrators or else they knew me in college.) 

Canine Shoulder Muscles by Courtney Khail

This was part of a two piece illustration I created- one featured the bones of a dog’s shoulder and then this illustrated the muscles that would be on top of those bones. Each piece was first drawn in graphite, then I mocked up colors with watercolor, before scanning everything in to my computer to complete in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. If you look at the lateral head of the triceps, you can see where I “cut” one of them to show you how it connects to the bone and how it lays over the Brachialis.

The simplest way to explain scientific illustration is to say that I studied to draw bugs, bones, botanicals etc. to a 100% level of accuracy. Like, imagine Realism and then up the reality factor. I would then use that art to teach- whether that be concepts (like the metamorphosis process of a butterfly) or specifics (like the various parts of a canine muscular system.) Those final illustrations would then (ideally) be used in educational places like museums and textbooks. (If you can remember the illustration of a plant cell in your HS biology book, that was most likely drawn by a scientific illustrator.) 

Detailed Illustrations of various pinecones (Pinecones by Courtney Khail)

Long story short(ish) scientific illustrators are just storytellers who use visuals instead of words. 

And when you look at it that way, it probably comes as no surprise that I now use my paintings to celebrate and share the complex stories of women. I’ve always been a storyteller!

It’s because of this background that all of my paintings combine intricate (almost scientific) line-work with vivid colors. I’m striving to balance the facts (the line work) with the emotional (the color) in order to most accurately portray the full story.

Spotlight on Art - Courtney Khail

There are somethings that I am really good at doing. And then there is blogging. Or journaling if you want to sound cooler or more hip. (I just realized this tab is in fact titled “journal” which now makes me laugh. Mostly because the word “journaling” makes me think of people writing poetry, dressed in large comfy neutral sweaters, drinking tea and talking about life’s bigger meaning or something. Which seeing that I am in fact in a large, cream knit sweater, drinking tea, and just listened to a podcast about minimalism while drawing, actually seems pretty spot on. So yea, scratch any judgement away about “journaling” because I totally just described myself.)

Back to the point though. Blogging/journaling/writing words for others to see, I’m not really great at staying on top of that. But I’m trying to get better at that which brings me to today’s news!

In case you’ve missed my Instagram stories/posts, or my Facebook ones, or even my newsletter (which you can sign up for to the right) I have paintings for sale at this weeks Spotlight on Art! It opened last night and will run through this Saturday at Trinity School of Atlanta. I have some newer/more abstracted canvas pieces, plus a few more traditional framed floral works all ready and waiting to come live with you :)

So if you’re in Atlanta, head over there and take a look! There’s something like 350 artists represented. It’s crazy and awesome.

Courtney Khail | Young Collectors Contemporary

A few weeks back I found out I was one of 27 artists selected for the Young Collectors Contemporary in Memphis, Tennessee! I’m so excited and honored to be a part of this show and hope to see you there.

To learn more (or purchase tickets to attend) click here! (Or go to http://www.youngcollectorscontemporary.com/)

Inspiration for Dreams In Color

If you follow me on Instagram you might remember me talking about how my newest body of work was inspired by a dream I had- hence the name Dreams in Color. And while that is true, it’s not the whole story.

You see, the idea behind the compositions and the technical aspects of the paintings (the line work mixed with expressive pools and swashes of watercolor) did come to fruition because of a dream. That is actually where the majority of my inspiration comes together- either from a dream directly or those kind of twilight-y half asleep/half awake moments right before you fall asleep.

(I’ve tried to get better at capturing these as they happen and either text myself somewhat coherent thoughts at midnight-2am or sketch something quickly in the notebook next to my bed. Personally, I prefer the text. Why you might ask? Because otherwise I’m sketching by moonlight. And while that might sound all romantic and artsy, it’s not. It’s more because if I turn on the light I will fully wake up and have a hard time falling back asleep. As someone who needs 8 hours of sleep in order to be a fully functioning member of society instead of an overly emotional grouch, I just draw in the dark. Again, just to make sure I am not overly romanticizing this process, keep in mind that these drawings are not just completed without light, but I’m also not wearing my contacts. So basically what I’m trying to say is that when I draw my dreams/thoughts out, I am just blindly scratching something onto paper in the middle of the night, which I then have to try and decipher the next morning. Sometimes I’m successful, and sometimes I’m not. Hence why I prefer my texts. Cryptic or not, they at least have words that kind of go together.)

Well that was an unexpected tangent. Back to the series inspiration.

So although the compositions and colors (sometimes) are brought about by dreams, the ideas behind the series (i.e. what the paintings actually mean) all tie into the overall theme of my art.

If you’ve read my artist statement, then you already know that my work explores the complexities and juxtapositions within people. Specifically women because that is my personal experience.

I focus on flowers because of their metaphorical talents. Flowers have this amazing ability to mimic and portray the full gamut of human emotions. Just shifting a petal or varying the level of life in a bloom can evoke a sense of emotions and storytelling that I could only dream of putting into words. Flowers are also incredibly resilient yet fragile- a quality I find in many women (myself included.) That level of strength paired with vulnerability is a theme that continues to present itself in my work, and it’s one that I welcome with open arms.

Specifically with Dreams in Color, I wanted to explore the idea of finding and becoming your true self. The person you have always believed yourself to be/wanted to be, even if (or particularly if) you felt held back by expectations from society, friends, or family.

It’s about being vulnerable, but not weak. Strong, but not cold. Empowered, but maybe still cautious. It’s about having the courage to be yourself even if you don’t have it all figured out, or even if parts of yourself contradict other parts of yourself and you find yourself living less in the concrete black and white and more in the complexities of the grey.

It’s about breaking free and being who you want, even if (or especially if) it’s hard- and then celebrating that person.

And just to wrap this up on a fun note (and because I saw this episode a few days ago and it made me laugh/speaks to what I’m saying about finding your true self) I leave you with this:

Writing My Artist Statement

I didn't intend to write a new artist statement today, but around noon today that's exactly what happened. And when I mean I didn't intend to, I mean it never even crossed my mind. I wasn't upset with my previous statement (I actually thought it conveyed what inspires my work/what I'm trying to say pretty well) but I was reading this piece on literature and book publishing when a quote stood out to me that got my mind racing. Before I knew it, a page of my sketchbook was covered with thoughts- some good, some not so good- all pointing to a common theme that repeats in each piece I create.

Now normally I cannot stand writing an artist statement; my mind just works best visually. Give me paper, paint, and ink and I can tell you my story- sometimes if I'm really good, I can make you feel it. But sit me in front of a computer and tell me to put words to that story? Well that is going to be a much more difficult task. My words always seemed to fall short. An idea that was so gigantic and important in my mind, would read as trivial. Emotions that felt earth-shattering while I painted became ordinary as my mind searched for the correct vocabulary to describe them.

(Side note before I forget, kudos to all of the truly talented writers out there. The gift you all have to transport our imaginations with ordinary words astounds me.)

But today was different. Today, I could find the words. Or at least most of them. I have no doubt that in a few months I will probably tweak my statement and maybe even after a few more months I'll scrap the whole thing mumbling something about it "not making sense" or "not capturing the essence" or something else meaning practically the same thing and be compelled to start over. But today I'm going to bask in the feeling of it being right. Today, I got that much closer to explaining how my art brings to life the swirling, emotional ideas of my mind (which sometimes consist of no more than color and line.) 

Courtney Khail featured in the Atlanta Journal

Growing up, my parents always subscribed to the local newspaper and my dad wouldn't let them get recycled until he'd read each one front to back. (Much to my mom's annoyance given that she likes a very clean, uncluttered house 😉) Even all these years later, I can still vividly recall the memory of my dad sitting at the breakfast table, cup full of black coffee and the newspaper spread open between his hands as he read. Something about the newspaper (and having arms long enough to hold it open to read) meant "adulthood" to me.

So to open the Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal today and see my work in the Living and Arts section- well, surreal is the only word that accurately describes it.

Thank you so much to Linda Jerkins for the amazing piece and to the AJC for including my work! You can read the piece here.
 

The opening for Cultivated - my solo show at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

This past Thursday, my solo show, Cultivated, opened at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (and it was awesome.)

I normally have a lot of anxiety when it comes to showing my work. There is a vulnerability in displaying your artwork- all of the emotion, time, energy, etc. that goes into the work is just out there on display. And it's not that it's just "out there," as an artist you are actively inviting people into your personal space to comment, critique, and ultimately judge your work. (Anyone else always think about Jerry Seinfeld describing Elaine's new boyfriend, Aaron, as a close talker, when you think about personal space? No? Well now you will. You're welcome.)

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Anyhow, back to the point. So normally, I'm nervous about openings, but this time I was really surprised at just how calm I was about the whole thing. I was (am still am) really proud of my work, how it all looked/came together, and was actually even kind of excited to share everything. (Awe, look at me growing up haha) But seriously, it was such a great experience. Even the opening itself was amazingly laid back. 

Seeing that this was my first solo show (I'm still amazed and humbled and kind of in shock that my first solo show is at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, but that's a whole other conversation,) most people probably would have thought I'd would have made a really huge deal about the opening. And it's not that I was opposed to that, but my main goal was to be able to be fully present and experience the moment. So I didn't really stress about it. I sent out a Facebook invite to some close friends who lived in town, posted about it on Instagram, and called it a day. (Side note- I did have the luxury of knowing that the show would be up for 5 months so that helped keep the stress level low and kept me from feeling like I had to do everything RIGHT NOW or I'd miss my chance. I may have done things differently if that was the case.)

And you know what? It was the best of times. Not even a hint of the worst of times. (Tale of Two Cities, anyone?) Not everyone could make it (some got sick, some were out of town, some had other obligations they couldn't get out of) but even so, I was surrounded by people who are a constant source of love, support, and inspiration. There was one moment I remember looking around and seeing old friends and new friends all surrounded by my work and just feeling so overwhelmed with gratitude.

I didn't get to talk to every person as long as I may have wanted (I talk a lot though so this really isn't new for me ;)) but everything just felt so... perfect. And the cherry on top of it all was that after the show, a group of us just wandered around the Garden, drinking, chatting, and looking at all of the exhibits that were lit up for Cocktails in the Garden (which was also that night!) So it was just art on top of art.

All this rambling aside, thank you all for your support. It means so much to me and I'm honored to create pieces that bring you joy.

As for the show- it will be on display until October 31st so you have plenty of time to catch it! (All of the work is also for sale in case you've been looking to purchase a piece.) And if you do go, I'd love for you to take photos and share them with me!

Courtney Khail at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

You may have already seen this on Instagram or Facebook, but my solo show, Cultivated, is now officially open at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Midtown Atlanta! On display in the Garden Gallery until October 31st, the show features twenty of my contemporary watercolor and ink floral paintings.

If you've ever wanted to see my work up close (it's a completely different experience than on a screen) or maybe you're looking to add to your art collection, I would be honored for you to visit the Garden and see the show. 

The importance of a sketchbook

In art school we were encouraged to always carry a sketchbook and to sketch or doodle as often as possible. It was explained that just like in sports, you have to consistently use the muscles, practice the motions, etc. to keep "in shape"- to "keep loose." That's why I try and take a few minutes (or more if possible) everyday to just sit and sketch. It trains both my hand and my mind- which gives me the confidence (and freedom) to trust my instinct when creating artwork. Sometimes the sketches develop into paintings and sometimes they are terrible/embarrassing*, but they always allow me to explore, discover, and align the space between my mind and my brush.

*And when I say terrible or embarrassing, I truly mean it. Some of my sketches look like a child drew them. Actually scratch that because that's not fair to children. Either way, some look very very...tight. Or maybe forced? Almost painful. But that my friends, is just why you sketch. So the painful, terrible, "are you sure you're an artist" moments can work themselves out of cheap sketchbook paper, as opposed to that 100% cotton rag you bought from France.

Day Trip to the Athens Botanical Gardens

Day trip to the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia (Athens Botanical Gardens)

Courtney Khail | Athens Botanical Gardens | State Botanical Gardens of Georgia
 

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I spent the day in Athens, GA and in addition to eating way too much and wandering the campus of our alma mater, we spent the morning visiting the Athens Botanical Gardens (technically it's called the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia, but I rarely call it that so bear with me.) 

Side note- When I lived in Athens I spent a lot of time there, both as a visitor and a student. (I even worked with them while writing my thesis on utilizing art to educate children on complex scientific concepts and procedures.) So now that I only live an hour-ish away, I try to make it back at least once or twice a year. While it's not the largest or the fanciest, there is just something about it that draws me in everytime. 

It was still relatively early in the season, so aside from daffodils poking out, most everything was still pretty dormant outside. Inside though, their orchids were on full display. (And unexpected happy surprise.) I absolutely adore orchids (they're actually the focus on an upcoming series) so I was especially excited to see so many different varieties up close. Here's a peek at what we saw:

Courtney Khail | Athens Botanical Gardens | State Botanical Gardens of Georgia

Courtney Khail | Athens Botanical Gardens | State Botanical Gardens of Georgia

Courtney Khail | Athens Botanical Gardens | State Botanical Gardens of Georgia
 

Beautiful, right?

New Paintings Launch TODAY (The Cotillion Series)

"The Cotillion Series," new original watercolor and ink paintings by Atlanta Artist Courtney Khail, launch TODAY

Original watercolor and ink paintings by Atlanta artist Courtney Khail

I am SO excited to share my newest works with you all. These have been a long time coming and each piece means so very much to me. I'll go more in depth about the specific pieces over the next few days, but until then, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. 

Something I'm really stoked about? How large some of these are. over 3 feet by 3 feet. I wish you could see them in real life because they are pretty kick ass. 

And before I go celebrate (both the launch and St. Patrick's Day,) I wanted to thank each and every one of you for your encouragement and support. It means so much to me!