Messages, I Love You and The Sentient Bean

Well, our Winter travels are coming to an end and soon we'll head north, leaving sunny Savannah.  We're totally hooked on our new Victorian East neighborhood and hope to return to it and the very same rental next year. Can't beat staying in a renovated Victorian with a wrap-around porch and a garden to boot!

The wall and sign that inspired 'Private Parking Message' was along our daily route and always caught my eye, as new additions would pop up regularly.  I took liberty with some of the placements and sizing, but each message is indeed on the wall.

Private Parking Message - Savannah

The lovely old-school marquee of the Savannah Theater has inspired collage during our stays here over the years. You can see my gut response to the title in the strong text image. Our vibrant woman is wearing her favorite Marvel characters dress.

I love you. You're Perfect. Now Change. collage - Savannah

We were having breakfast in the Sentient Bean, our favorite local coffee place, when I looked up, saw the counter and background and said that is a great image and so it became the basis of my last collage this trip.  Crows are a welcome element in any of my collages.

Sentient Bean - Savannah

Follow-up!  I walked past the mural that was beginning that I used in an earlier collage and it's complete!  Super!

We've spent a lot of time enjoying Forsythe Park, which is quite nearby.  I had lovely conversations with bought some prints from two Forsythe vendors.

Phil Musen does these whimsical prints.  I love his sensibility and colors and he was a pleasure to chat with.  I think this one will be a great addition to my kitchen.

Hot Dog Cats by Phil Musen

Michelle A Stafford captures Forsythe Park and creates wonderful mystical women, magical animals and more.  This one really spoke to me. We had a great conversation and discovered that we both had lived in Philadelphia.

Digital Synthesis by Michelle A Stafford

Our Winter Trips are always renewing and refreshing and this one, especially so.  I find there is a great verve to having the sense of place as an anchor to my collages.  Thanks for traveling with me.

Cuban Window Cafe and a Cargo Ship Meet Pabst Blue Ribbon With a New Mural

While Savannah is most known for it's beautiful historical and Victorian architecture, you'll find other things to catch your eye.

I read about the Cuban Window Cafe before we arrived in the Savannah in the  'Eat It and Like It' blog by Jesse Blanco.  Check out his Cuban Window review here.  We were very delighted to find this little gem was quite near where we are staying.  Carry-out traditional Cuban Sandwiches were our first meal in Savannah.  Since then, we've enjoyed their extensive menu often, and have new favorites in Guava Pastelitos, Papa Rellena and Empanadas Cuban-style. Everyone who works there are just terrific and working hard to keep you happy - all in a funky vibe that I love.

Cuban Window on Abercorn - Savannah

Savannah is one of the major cargo ship ports in the country.  It is quite impressive to stand on the River Walk and have one of these behemoths glide by right in front of you. Catching sight of the ships is one of my husband's favorite Savannah things. The yellow teacups are a huge sculpture that is on the River Walk in the new renovated power plant area, Plant Riverside.  By the way, check out the JW Mariott lobby on the Plant Riverside website.  It houses the most glorious natural crystals collection, in sizes I have never seen before.

Savannah River Cargo

Well, I didn't drink PBR or go bowling, but I did love the building and jaunty air of Moodrights on Abercorn Street, where you can do both those things - Duckpin bowling to be exact.   Pool and Bingo too!  I think my retro characters would feel right at home at Moodrights.

Pabst Blue Ribbon Moodrights - Savannah

There is a lot of wall art and murals in the city and I thought it rather cool to come upon one at the beginning of the venture.  I decided my artsy style  people would appreciate it fully. SCAD - Savannah Collage of Art & Design - offers many fashion design programs, and I am often taken by the unique stylings people wear.

Mural Beginnings on Bull Street - Savannah

Savannah continues to be one of my most favorite cities and places to be.

Savannah Victoriana

We're staying in the Victorian District of Savannah and the abundancy of these lovely homes is amazing. Not surprisingly, Savannah puts a lot of effort in restoring and preserving their historic properties and organizations like SCAD and the Historic Savannah Foundation work toward this goal.  Like other cities, there was a time when people didn't recognize the value of  the past and 'old' and significant buildings were destroyed. As often happens, the spark of one person and then a core of people worked to rectify the situation. Check out the story of Anna Colquitt Hunter.

Artistically, I have found it interesting working with the Victorians, as they hold a very strong, defined energy and some elements just don't seem to work well with the central image and I find I must let the building itself lead the way.  Naturally.

East Park Avenue didn't mind hosting our Doc Martin girl, but maybe it's all that tulle that was the right vibe.

East Park Avenue Victoriana - Savannah

Amethyst Garden is indeed that vivid shade of purple - a bit amplified  here- and once again, my friend Deb Booth provided the perfect enhancement, the lovely purple Lotus flower.

Amethyst Garden on Hull Street - Savannah

This 'wedding cake' white Victorian was the most demanding in which elements were acceptable, including being in a vertical format.  White was totally the theme but after many iterations, the red balloon was accepted.

White House on Hall - Savannah

And in the Victorian tradition,

 

Patsy Cline in Savannah

While in Cedar Key, we met up with some friends and Mary took pictures of a little robot in the restaurant and while we walked along.  Turns out, the robot was a favorite toy of her grandson and Mary took it with her to send photos to him on her travels.  Mary's little photo traveler was inspiring.

For years I have had a button of Patsy Cline on my travel purse and did a Patsy-inspired collage in Savannah in the past and decided my altered image of Patsy would be a perfect photo traveler.  I found Fabulous Fotoforms online and soon enough my laminated, laser cut lovely Patsy Cline met up with me in Savannah.

In 2018 there was a  show called ''Always Patsy Cline' at the Savannah Theatre, which inspired this collage.  I used Mz Patsy in some other collages as well.

Always Patsy - Savannah 2018

The original Patsy image is from an album cover, I believe, and the microphone stand said 'Grand Old Opry'.

Turns out,  Traveler Patsy gets a bit lost in larger backgrounds, so I've taken to doing little 'set ups' of favorite places.

  Patsy Cline arrives at the Fed Ex office

Patsy on the Savannah River Walk

Patsy at The Sentient Bean coffee shop.  The trophy is the table marker for the servers.

           Patsy in the E.Shaver Book Store

 

Patsy in the Garden of the SCAD Museum of Art -
Savannah Collage of Art and Design

   

 Patsy at PJ's Thai restaurant. Our favorite and the best Lime Chicken ever.

 

Savannah 2022

 It's so nice to be in Savannah once again.  It's a favorite city of ours; vibrant but filled with nature and open space in the many parks and squares of the historic districts.  This year we are in the Victorian District at the south end of Savannah's well known Forsythe Park -  very residential and quite a way from the busy river front tourist areas.  

A totally walkable city, the car stays parked except for a trek to the ocean at Tybee Beach. The architecture is always engaging and as usual my collages are built on places that catch my eye.

We pass Original Skin Tattoo often and I love their attitude as well as their building.

Original Skin Tattoos - Savannah

Although I often amplify colors, the twin houses here are the actual colors, tweaked just a bit and yes, they are side-by-side.  Many of the homes in the Victorian area are in vibrant colors or with vibrant trim and details.

Vintage Twins - Savannah

I found the wonderful little dog randomly on the web, but a Google image-search, showed that she is the work of UK artist, Annie Montgomerie.

Amidst the lovely colors and warm brick of the Savannah landscape, there are faded ghosts as well.

Greyed Ghost House - Savannah