Meet Evelyn Neel | Science Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Evelyn Neel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evelyn, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m from Roanoke, in the Blue Ridge mountains of Southwest Virginia. My mother is a sculptor, and my grandmother was a landscape painter. I loved art from a young age, and also loved nature. My family would go on “wildflower walks” every spring and try to identify flowers. I memorized the wildflower and bird books in my home and loved to look at plants and watch birds. My mother became friends with a local wildlife rescue, and took on the care of many abandoned or injured creatures. We had various birds, squirrels, opossums, and other creatures inhabit our home for a period of time.

I attended college at The University of the South in Sewanee, TN. The school boasts one of the largest campuses in the US, and is perched atop a mountain on the Cumberland Plateau. I spent many hours exploring the 10,000 acres of campus, while double majoring in Fine Art and Natural Resources (which was a combination of Forestry and Geology). I painted one of my first murals there, illustrating 10 species of trees native to the area. I also painted huge abstracted landscape paintings with natural pigments for my Senior thesis project, which were quite a departure from where I am now. I do miss painting large format though and hope to paint more murals in the future.

After college, I was ready to explore and left the east coast. I started working as a field biologist for the National Park Service, and have worked in parks all over the west and Hawaii. However, I really missed art and had struggled to keep up an art practice. While working in Washington state, I heard about a program at the University of Washington for Scientific Illustration. I thought that would be a perfect fit for me and enrolled in the program while working for North Cascades National Park.

All of these things led me to be a science illustrator, bringing focus to the beauty of everyday things, and communicating science in a way that is both beautiful and instructive.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a Science Illustrator, which means that I create images that help scientists communicate with the general public. I mostly work in pen and ink with watercolor. It is a style that evokes old hand tinted botanical etchings. My recent project was illustrating 37 native plants to be used in signage and posters at the new county extension gardens in Missoula, MT.

I make all of my illustrations both beautiful and scientifically accurate. This involves hours of research before I start sketching. I pour over botanical keys, take photos in the field, compile photos from other sources, then sketch out a to-scale drawing. I love the research part as much as I love the act of creating art. This is when I get to really delve into botany or entomology or whatever I’m illustrating. This draft gets approved by scientists, then I transition the work in progress to pen and ink. After another set of independent checks for accuracy, I finally begin painting. After a last approval, I scan the illustration into photoshop and remove the background for the final product. It’s a technical process and I think of myself as more of an illustrator than an artist.

It was a long road to get here, and I still struggle with the feast or famine nature of freelance work. I am exploring other options to generate consistent income such as licensing and wholesale. This year I have had a series of injuries which set back my health. One of the hazards of working for yourself means no sick leave, so I frequently work through illness or family sickness. It is a difficult journey but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love what I do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Arvada, so I mostly frequent Arvada and Golden. I go to Denver for an occasional date night or to go places with my kids. However; in Denver I love the Denver Botanic Gardens and spent a lot of time there doing research. I also like to go there for a walk, to take my kids there to play in the Children’s garden, and for concerts and yoga. The Denver Art Museum is wonderful as well, we like to take the train from Arvada and walk or take the mall ride there. The Natural History museum is a favorite for my family, and the new nature playground is an incredible addition. Finally, the Zoo is something my kids and my husband and I all enjoy.
For restaurants, I love The Kitchen, Root Down or Parisi for a date night. I enjoy trying beers from different breweries in town. I think my favorite would be Crooked Stave, I love sours. I enjoy exploring places like Tennyson and the RiNo district for the vibrant murals that have popped up all over town.
I probably shouldn’t say this, but I like to escape Denver when possible, I have lived in fairly remote areas and small towns most of my life, so suburbia is a bit much. I love being near family and the convenience of things here, but I also love the mountains. We try to camp or backpack as much as possible in the summer, hike nearby, and take little escape weekends to hot springs.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Forestry and Geology professors in college, who noticed my skills before I did and gave me the opportunity to use them.
My coworkers in various National Park Service positions who let me design shirts, and eventually logos.
The folks at Missoula County Ecology & Extension who have hired me for several dream projects.
My kids who tell me my work is amazing even when it’s not.
My parents, who have always supported my art.
Friends near and far with whom I can share my crazy ideas.
My husband. He encouraged me to focus on my art after I lost my job, supported me through failures, and helps me switch focus to occasionally taking a break.

Website: https://www.evelynneel.com

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