Lara Neece

In 2009, I quit my editing job, moved onto a small sailboat, and then decided to become an artist. My husband and I renovated our 37-foot sailboat Illusion, sailed up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, and explored the islands of the Bahamas. Utilizing as much wind and solar energy as we needed, we cut back on our water usage and transformed a unique mode of transportation into a lifestyle. The 3.5 years that I spent living aboard gave me a passion & appreciation for the environment, and ultimately spurred me to pursue a full-time art and design business inspired by the environment.

I am an award-winning artist, a self-taught designer, screenprinter, and bootstrapping entrepreneur. Although my love for art and creative endeavors goes all the way back to my formative years; I studied basic art and art history in Florence, Italy during a study abroad year in college and have been painting ever since. As an artist, I’ve participated in solo and group art shows in the Southeast and exhibited in several juried events, winning awards for my wood panel illustrations, and have artwork hanging in public art collections. I work out of my home studio in Savannah, GA, where I paint primarily in acrylics, illuminating poignant moments in the natural world.

My studio also doubles as a screenprinting studio for my company, Forest and Fin, which I started in 2012. Forest and Fin’s apparel line combines my nature illustrations, functionality, and responsible design to inspire people to spend more time outside. Each nature-inspired design is initially hand-drawn and screenprinted by hand, using water-based inks and a manual press. It is another extension of my art.

I also created and co-own Superbloom in the Starland District of Savannah. There you can find my tshirts, small paintings, and prints for sale alongside a curated collection of locally made products, lattes, pastries, wine, beer, and smoothies. We host free craft nights and sponsor the De Soto Street Market 3-4 times per year, as well as providing a creative hub for the community.