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courtney khail watercolors

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Courtney Khail | contemporary artist

Hi, I'm Courtney.

I'm a Southern contemporary artist currently living in Atlanta, Georgia with my husband and our rescue mutt. Here you'll find a peek into what inspires me, new pieces I'm working on, and a whole lot of random thoughts.

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In love with everything going on here.
In love with everything going on here.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Hope you’re feeling (and sharing) the love today. This painting is one of the 20 or so that will be released next month! Of course, if you want to claim it before then just shoot me an email and I’ll make that happen. “Awaken”, watercolor and ink original painting, 9”x 12” $200 (unframed)
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Hope you’re feeling (and sharing) the love today. This painting is one of the 20 or so that will be released next month! Of course, if you want to claim it before then just shoot me an email and I’ll make that happen. “Awaken”, watercolor and ink original painting, 9”x 12” $200 (unframed)
Just added what I *think* will be the last layers of paint and now I’m starting to feel out the line work. Translating what I see in my head onto paper can be challenging at times, but luckily that’s what tracing paper and erasers are for! Is that process something you’d like to see? Or are you more of a “keep the magic magical” kind of person? (There are no wrong answers- Im a bit of both!)
Just added what I *think* will be the last layers of paint and now I’m starting to feel out the line work. Translating what I see in my head onto paper can be challenging at times, but luckily that’s what tracing paper and erasers are for! Is that process something you’d like to see? Or are you more of a “keep the magic magical” kind of person? (There are no wrong answers- Im a bit of both!)
Flowers aren’t the only kind of bouquets I love 😉 Speaking of bouquets, in high school, a guy from the grade above me asked me what my favorite flower was. I answered “fire tulips.” (I’ve come to learn they are actually called “Gold Dust” tulips. They’re red at the base and transition into yellow/gold on the tips of their petals and aren’t the most commonly found tulips.) The following day I walked into homeroom (or maybe it was just into class, but that detail doesn’t really matter) and there, sitting on my desk, was a dozen fire tulips. Now it would probably be fun to tell you then we went out and he was my high school sweetheart or something, but we didn’t and we weren’t. (I was actually kind of oblivious at 16 and it never even crossed my mind that he could have been trying to be romantic. I just thought he was being a really nice and thoughtful friend- which by the way I’m still arguing was the case!) Anyhow, I was in the grocery store yesterday and saw “fire tulips” in their Valentine’s display and was immediately reminded of how lasting a simple gesture of thoughtfulness and kindness can be. So this Valentine’s Day I urge you to spread the love to all those who mean something to you. Your spouse, your friends, your family, even that sweet coworker who always asks how your weekend was. And of course it doesn’t have to be with flowers (though if you are thinking of that, might I suggest a painting of flowers that will never fade? 😉) Something as simple as a note, a hug, or a text can completely transform someone’s day.
Flowers aren’t the only kind of bouquets I love 😉 Speaking of bouquets, in high school, a guy from the grade above me asked me what my favorite flower was. I answered “fire tulips.” (I’ve come to learn they are actually called “Gold Dust” tulips. They’re red at the base and transition into yellow/gold on the tips of their petals and aren’t the most commonly found tulips.) The following day I walked into homeroom (or maybe it was just into class, but that detail doesn’t really matter) and there, sitting on my desk, was a dozen fire tulips. Now it would probably be fun to tell you then we went out and he was my high school sweetheart or something, but we didn’t and we weren’t. (I was actually kind of oblivious at 16 and it never even crossed my mind that he could have been trying to be romantic. I just thought he was being a really nice and thoughtful friend- which by the way I’m still arguing was the case!) Anyhow, I was in the grocery store yesterday and saw “fire tulips” in their Valentine’s display and was immediately reminded of how lasting a simple gesture of thoughtfulness and kindness can be. So this Valentine’s Day I urge you to spread the love to all those who mean something to you. Your spouse, your friends, your family, even that sweet coworker who always asks how your weekend was. And of course it doesn’t have to be with flowers (though if you are thinking of that, might I suggest a painting of flowers that will never fade? 😉) Something as simple as a note, a hug, or a text can completely transform someone’s day.
Did you know that I majored in scientific illustration at the @universityofga? • Yes, that’s actually a major. • And 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 😉) • The simplest way to explain it 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.) • 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. • (Swipe to see some of my scientific illustrations- all drawn by me.)
Did you know that I majored in scientific illustration at the @universityofga? • Yes, that’s actually a major. • And 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 😉) • The simplest way to explain it 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.) • 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. • (Swipe to see some of my scientific illustrations- all drawn by me.)
Courtney Khail for Design Crush postcard | atlanta artist

Political Art (plus printable postcards to send to make your voice heard)

February 20, 2017

©Courtney Khail for Design Crush

It's fitting that this journal entry follows my last quote. For the past few weeks, criticism has been at the forefront of my days (and by that, I mean, I've felt a lot of criticism.) Now normally I reserve political conversations to "in real life" interactions (or, you know, my personal Facebook page where people are free to "unfollow" or "unfriend" if they are so inclined) in order to keep my personal life separate from my business life.

(To be honest though, I cannot imagine it's too difficult know how I lean seeing as I am an artist, I'm a nature/conservation fanatic and I shared my absolute joy on social media when the SCOTUS ruled that everyone had the right to marry. Not to mention that my current body of work is centered around the complexities and strength of women and the dualities seen in femininity, yet somehow- to many- where my heart lies has indeed come as a shock.) 

©Lisa Congdon for Design Crush

Unfortunately though, with art you can't really untangle personal life from business life. My personal life and what I see happening to me, those I love, and even complete strangers- well, it sinks into my soul and my heart and comes out through my hands. Every brushstroke or line holds my emotion- whether that be of joy or angst- and no matter how I try to curb it or control it, I can't. I have to let it out- I have to be present and active. And that activism has spread into my everyday life too by way of political and community involvement.

So when my friend Kelly (of Design Crush) wrote me and asked if I wanted to take part in an "active art" project I didn't even think twice about joining in. Of course I wanted to participate! Her idea was simple- she invited some of her close artist friends to join her in creating a postcard to express how they feel/what's going through their minds that would then be shared with you all. Then, you all would have to opportunity to download and print our artwork for free (only for personal use- these cannot be sold and each artist involved still maintains all copyrights) to then be filled with your concerns, thoughts- whatever you want to say- and mailed off to your representatives. 

©Emily McDowell for Design Crush

Now of course most are left leaning, but not all. And no matter your political stance I urge you to check them out and if you are so inclined, print one (or two or all) of them out and write your reps. Tell them what matters to you. Tell your story. Communicate with them. You are not just a number; you are a person with an opinion and a voice and it's time we all start taking a very active role in our government so it can best represent ALL of us. 

(In case you missed the link above- you can click here to see the 24 pieces all of us artists created)

©StrawberryLuna for Design Crush

← New Paintings Launch TODAY (The Cotillion Series)do what you feel is right in your heart | eleanor roosevelt →
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