Savannah, Georgia: The Surface Pattern I've Been Drawing Since Art School
When I was at SCAD, I spent a lot of time walking around Savannah thinking "this whole city is basically begging to be illustrated."
Spanish moss hanging off everything like nature's curtains. Fountains that looked stolen from Italy. Historic houses in colors that shouldn't work together but somehow do. And those trolley tours narrating the entire city's drama like it's a reality show that's been running since 1733.
I decided then that Savannah needed to be a pattern.
It only took me more years than I'll admit to actually make it happen.
Savannah Storybook Zip Top Pouch
Lowcountry Colorway available @ Zazzle
Savannah Storybook Zip Top Pouch
Muted Beige Colorway available @ Zazzle
What's Actually In Here
The Forsyth Fountain (the one in everyone's Instagram). Tybee Island Lighthouse. The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist doing its best Gothic revival. The Lucas Theatre marquee. The Waving Girl statue, who spent 44 years waving at ships and is now immortalized in bronze for her commitment to the bit.
Also: the Savannah River Queen paddlewheel (maximum Southern riverboat vibes), River Street's candy-striped warehouses, the Olde Pink House (actually pink), the Sorrel-Weed House (allegedly haunted), Civil War cannons (decorative but menacing), those open-air trolleys full of tourists learning about Sherman, a proper red double-decker tour bus, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (technically Charleston but we're claiming coastal solidarity), cotton blossoms, live oaks, an alligator minding its business, hot boiled peanuts (I will defend these), Paula Deen's restaurant sign, a British phone booth (unclear why, but Savannah decided it needed one), Forrest Gump on his famous park bench, and approximately 47 other architectural details that make Savannah exactly itself.
The whole thing is held together by the fact that Savannah has been aesthetically confident since 1733 and has never once questioned its choices.
Why Savannah Works as a Pattern
Savannah is organized chaos with really good PR. The city's laid out in squares. The architecture follows actual rules but still has personality. The history is serious, but the city isn't afraid to sell it with ghost tours and Paula Deen's restaurant on the same block.
It's a designer's dream assignment that nobody actually assigned.
So after spending years drawing other people's destinations, I finally came back to the one that started the whole thing. Turns out I'd been mentally sketching this pattern since I first walked down River Street and thought "I could draw this entire city."
What You Can Do With It
This works for anything that needs Southern coastal charm without defaulting to generic seashells and anchors. Hospitality projects, Southern gift shops, editorial layouts, packaging, textiles, anything aimed at people who either live in Savannah or are planning their next visit based purely on vibes.
The full pattern tiles for wallpaper, fabric, large-scale graphics. Individual elements work as standalone illustrations. The whole system scales without losing detail.
It's designed for products and spaces that want Savannah's energy—historic, charming, self-aware, and completely comfortable being exactly what it is.
Part of a Bigger Thing
I'm working through a series of place-based patterns for destinations that have strong visual personalities. Savannah just happens to be the one I've been thinking about since art school.
Still in production. More patterns coming soon.