SHIPS OF THE SEA MARITIME MUSEUM
LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC WILLIAM SCARBROUGH HOUSE AND GARDENS
MAY 1, 2026 - JANUARY 31, 2027
Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum
Drawn to the Sea: Maritime Stories from Savannah invites visitors to experience the city’s maritime past through the bold, immersive language of sequential art. Four contemporary artists reinterpret the voyages of the Anne, the S.S. Savannah, the Pulaski, and the Wanderer—transforming historic events into powerful visual narratives that connect past and present.
Opening night celebration
May 1 2026 | 5:00–7:30 PM
ADMISSION
$15 per person | FREE for members
Celebrate the opening of Drawn to the Sea: Maritime Stories from Savannah with an evening of art, conversation, and comics at Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum.
Guests will have the opportunity to mingle with featured artists, browse and purchase the exhibition comic book, and enjoy book signings throughout the evening.
Cocktails will be available for purchase, along with light complimentary snacks.
The Artists
Here are the artists featured in Drawn to the Sea. Click on each artist's picture to find out more about them and which ship they are featuring!
Lucy Bellwood
All about Lucy
Lucy Bellwood (she/they) is a professional Adventure Cartoonist based in Ojai, California. Her projects have covered whitewater rafting trips through the Grand Canyon, cutting-edge oceanography in the Pacific, and a voyage aboard the last wooden whaling ship in the world. She’s the author and illustrator of Baggywrinkles: a Lubber’s Guide to Life at Sea, a collection of stories from her time as a tall ship sailor, and 100 Demon Dialogues, a helpful, humorous guide to living with Imposter Syndrome. She’s currently working on Seacritters!, a trilogy of graphic novels written by Kate Milford about a crew of capybara pirates.
Lucy draws inspiration from the Anne
The Anne was the ship that carried James Oglethorpe and the first group of English colonists to Georgia in 1733. Sailing as part of a small fleet, the Anne departed England in late 1732 and arrived in the New World early the following year, laying the foundation for what would become the colony of Georgia.
After landing near present-day Beaufort, South Carolina, Oglethorpe and the colonists continued south to establish Savannah along the bluff above the Savannah River. Though modest in size, the Anne holds an outsized place in history as the vessel that carried Georgia’s founding vision across the Atlantic.
Some images of the Anne model in our museum
Avery Hick
All about Avery
Avery Hick is a comic artist, letterer, and printmaker based in Savannah, Georgia. He enjoys making sci-fi fictional comics and non-fiction stories about history, travel, and everyday life experiences. He also has a passion for the process of zine making and printing, and loves finding ways to bring comics and printmaking together. When he’s not working on comics, you can find Avery cooking, watching old TV shows, and spending time with his cat, Sophie.
Avery draws inspiration from the S.S. Savannah
The S.S. Savannah was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, marking a bold turning point in maritime history. Departing from Savannah in 1819, the hybrid vessel combined traditional sail power with an innovative steam engine — a technological experiment that signaled the future of ocean travel.
Although steam was used for only part of the journey, the Savannah’s transatlantic crossing proved that steam-powered navigation was possible. The voyage captured international attention and positioned Savannah at the forefront of early 19th-century maritime innovation.
Today, the S.S. Savannah remains one of the city’s most celebrated vessels — a symbol of ambition, ingenuity, and the spirit of progress that shaped global trade.
Some images of the S.S. Savannah model in our museum
Rich King
All about Rich
Richard J. King is the author and illustrator of five books about our relationship with the ocean, including Ahab’s Rolling Sea: A Natural History of Moby-Dick (Chicago UP) and Ocean Bestiary: Meeting Marine Life from Abalone to Orca to Zooplankton (Chicago UP). Most recently, he wrote Sailing Alone (Penguin/Viking), a history of people who crossed oceans by themselves and how that reflected blue environmental movements. He writes and illustrates a column on marine life for Sea History magazine and is a visiting professor at the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, MA.
Rich draws inspiration from the Pulaski
The Pulaski was a luxury steamship that operated along the southeastern coast of the United States in the early 19th century. On June 14, 1838, while traveling from Savannah to Baltimore, the vessel suffered a catastrophic boiler explosion off the coast of North Carolina. The blast tore the ship apart in the night, sending passengers and crew into the dark Atlantic waters.
More than 100 people lost their lives in what became one of the deadliest maritime disasters in American history. For decades, the tragedy faded from public memory — until the wreck was rediscovered nearly 180 years later, reigniting interest in the ship’s story and the lives it carried.
Today, the Pulaski stands as a haunting reminder of early steam travel’s risks and the human stories bound to Savannah’s maritime past.
Some images of the Pulaski model in our museum
SHaron Norwood
All about Sharon
Sharon Norwood is a Jamaican-born interdisciplinary artist working across ceramics, drawing, and installation. She maintains a full-time studio practice in Savannah, Georgia. Her work engages histories of labor, race, and cultural memory through materially driven processes that incorporate found objects, archival references, and industrial forms. A recurring motif in her practice is the curly line, a formal and conceptual reference to Afro-textured hair and the Black body. Norwood holds a BFA from the University of South Florida and an MFA from Florida State University and has exhibited widely across North America and internationally.
In addition to her studio practice, she operates Norwood Gallery, an artist-run exhibition space that supports independent exhibitions and experimental programming.
Sharon draws inspiration from the Wanderer
The Wanderer was a sleek, fast yacht built in 1857 — and later became one of the last ships to illegally transport enslaved Africans to the United States. In 1858, more than fifty years after the transatlantic slave trade had been outlawed, the vessel secretly carried over 400 captive Africans across the Atlantic, landing near the coast of Georgia.
The ship’s arrival exposed the persistence of the illegal slave trade and sparked national outrage, legal battles, and public debate in the years leading up to the Civil War. While those responsible largely escaped lasting punishment, the people forced aboard the Wanderer endured unimaginable hardship, and their descendants remain an important part of Georgia’s history.
Today, the Wanderer stands as a sobering reminder of Savannah’s connection to both maritime enterprise and the painful realities of the slave trade.
Some images of the Wanderer model in our museum
Our Sponsor
Presented in Partnership with Neighborhood Comics
Neighborhood Comics is Downtown Savannah’s comic book specialty store, located just steps from Forsyth Park and open seven days a week. Offering a full line of new comic books, graphic novels, high-end back issues, and key books, Neighborhood Comics has become a trusted home for readers and collectors alike.
More than just a shop, Neighborhood Comics is a welcoming and affirming space for comic fans at every stage of their journey. With a diverse selection of publishers, authors, and artists — and a staff dedicated to thoughtful recommendations and exceptional customer service — they are committed to building community through storytelling.
In addition to their downtown location, the Neighborhood Comics Clubhouse on Savannah’s south side serves discount comic and toy collectors. The shop actively supports local organizations and creative events, reinforcing its role as a vibrant part of Savannah’s cultural landscape.
Lee Heidel
All about Lee
Editor and Publication Designer for Drawn to the Sea
Owner and Managing Partner, Neighborhood Comics
Lee Heidel is the Managing Partner of Neighborhood Comics, where he oversees day-to-day operations, leads wholesale initiatives, coordinates special events, and guides the strategic direction of the company’s publishing imprint. With a hands-on leadership style and a deep passion for storytelling, he plays a central role in shaping both the retail experience and the creative output of the business.
He holds a BFA in Art Education from the University of Georgia, a foundation that informs his lifelong commitment to visual storytelling and community engagement. Prior to his work in comics retail and publishing, he spent 30 years leading a design and development studio, building a reputation for creative vision, operational excellence, and client-focused innovation.
A dedicated husband and father, he balances entrepreneurship with family life, bringing the same integrity and enthusiasm to both. A lifelong comics fan, he has a particular appreciation for the charm and cultural impact of Adam West’s portrayal of Batman - a reminder that heroism can be bold, bright, and a little bit fun.
Exhibition Curator
Tania Sammons
Exhibition Curator for Drawn to the Sea
Tania June Sammons is a museum curator and writer who currently serves as the exhibition curator for the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum in Savannah, Georgia.
In addition to Drawn to the Sea: Maritime Stories from Savannah, she’s curated over two dozen exhibitions on topics such as furniture, silver, glass, African American history, women artists and patrons, the Georgia coast, maritime tattoos, and the artist and writer Kahlil Gibran and his friend and supporter Mary Haskell Minis. Her publications include books about two Savannah historic houses, silver, and Kahlil Gibran’s art.
She received a MA in American history from Armstrong State University (now Georgia Southern) and a BA in art history from the University of Kentucky with a minor in studio art. She also studied American decorative arts at Winterthur Institute, and historic houses and their collections with Attingham Trust in England, and the Victorian Society in America.