Thanks for stopping by, but....

You're cute and all but please get out of my office...for real

Ann Parker doing the hot dog dance with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

In the studio

In the studio today...a visitor

Taken with Instagram

Little Artist

"Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up"

-Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

1st day of school

Caroline entered 3K this year.  She is a creative little girl and this summer we celebrated her 3rd birthday.  Her only request...that we color and eat cookies.  So we hosted an art party!

Invitations ordered through Sarah and Abraham...great design options, super easy and fast delivery.  Held at our local arts center, Black Creek Arts Council, a wonderful organization and facility.

Caroline painted the tablecloth herself!

Ann Parker entertaining the guests

Her guests loved the play dough

Woof

When not doing medical illustration...

My palette

Wren
watercolor

Buzz
watercolor

Chelsea
oil on canvas

Taylor
watercolor

"You're a what?"

What is a Medical Illustrator?

As defined by the Association of Medical Illustrators:

A medical illustrator is a professional artist with advanced education in both the life sciences and visual communication. Collaborating with scientists, physicians, and other specialists, medical illustrators transform complex information into visual images that have the potential to communicate to broad audiences. The work of medical illustrators promotes education, research, patient care, public relations, and marketing efforts.

A medical illustrator is a visual problem solver. Background research, including reading scientific papers, meeting with scientific experts, perhaps observing surgery or a laboratory procedure, is often an integral part of the creative process.

Do you have a degree for that?

I earned a BFA in Scientific Illustration from the University of Georgia and

a Masters of Science in Medical Illustration from the Medical College of Georgia

What do you do?

I work for a medical legal graphics firm based in Virginia.  We produce demonstrative evidence for the defense of medical mal-practice litigation.  Our litigation support includes case review, courtroom exhibits, interactive products and animation.  Our products assist the physician defendant and their team of experts explain their case to the jury.  We "educate" the jury so they can understand the medicine and circumstances of the case.  

-click images to see larger view-

Objective:  to explain the plaintiff's ureteral obstruction

Objective:  to show the surgical set-up for laparoscopic appendectomy

Objective:  to show the plaintiff's injury, repair and result

Why don't you just take a picture?

The simple answer is that I draw what can't be seen

Hip replacement
Color pencil on print of graphite drawing

Medicine is an evolving science so Medical Illustrators are often called upon to illustrate new surgical techniques.  If a procedure is simply video-taped or photographed this is likely what the viewer will see

Below is a series of images I created for a surgeon at University of Virginia illustrating a surgical procedure he developed for traumatic abdominal wound closure.  The images are intentionally bloodless, easy to follow, and intended for teaching proper technique

Doesn't the computer do the work for you?

I wish.  The computer is just a really expensive paint brush.  Certainly it has made editing and production much more efficient.  While most of my work is digital in its final format I still start with a pencil and paper

Art?

Living in a small town you learn to live without a lot of things.  Things that we have in abundance around here are beauty parlors, beauty queens, churches, pine trees, peaches...and college sports fans.

Corn maze courtesy of our local peach farm.  You build it, they will come....at least the Gamecocks will.

McLeod Farms

Speaking of peaches....

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
National Peach Month
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

The Studio

"That which you elect to surround yourself with becomes the museum of your soul and the archive of your experiences"

-Thomas Jefferson

http://www.monticello.org/

My studio is my Monticello of sorts.  It's my office, at times my haven...and an archive of my experiences.  Jefferson built Monticello in order to have an "adequate place to contemplate the universe."  Here in my studio I'm surrounded by natural light, books, artwork and mementos, all of which inspire me and ultimately help me contemplate my universe...however so humble.  A tour...

Double click images for larger view

Work space must include a table for the "little people" who come visit

My desk

From the garden

View from my desk

My inspiration board

A birthday card from years ago, still makes me laugh

My Dad...seersucker suit, wine and William F. Buckley.
A reminder to enjoy the moment

A treasure I found years ago in a Georgetown, DC book shop specializing
in scientific subjects.  Hand painted, dated late 18th century.  Have always
assumed it to be a physician's documentation of a patient's condition

A work of my own.  The sacrum, illustrated with carbon dust 1997

Storage

Studio security...Fed Ex man has learned to knock softly