One of my goals for the new year is to tackle framing the stack of prints and posters I've been collecting over the past few years. I picked up most of the artwork on my travels and as I was sorting through them, I realized the majority of my collection hails from the South. While they are by no means all "southern themed", they do tend to have a bit of a southern flair. Here are five of my favorite artists for prints or posters below the Mason-Dixon.

1. Anderson Design Group - Graphic designer, Joel Anderson, and his team of artists have spent a lot of time designing prints that celebrate his hometown of Nashville. Eventually he decided to branch out to explore the rest of the USA, this time creating a collection called the Art & Soul of America. Over 50 nostalgically illustrated prints represent the collection, from National Parks to iconic American cities, all printed and produced in Nashville.

2. Hatch Show Print - Also from Nashville, I don't think you can mention Southern, music and art prints without talking about Hatch Show. Hatch Show Print is one of America's oldest working letterpress shops and you've probably seen their vibrant colorful posters without even realizing it. Dating back to the 1950's, Hatch Show's biggest clients were Grand Ole Opry performers such as Johnny Cash. They continue to create new posters for current artists like Neil Young and Avett Brothers along with quirky prints celebrating terriers or the famous Hatch Show resident cats. Now part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, I was fortunate enough to get a tour of their shop when I was in town last year. If you like art or music, no trip to Nashville would be complete without paying them a visit!

3. Hammerpress - Hammerpress is another letterpress shop, but this one is located in Kansas City, Missouri. They make greeting cards, posters, art prints, t-shirts and other paper goods most recognizable by their bold typography.

4. Rebekka Seale - I probably shouldn't have included her in this list if I ever hope to have her do a custom portrait of my house (she's currently booked through March), but her work is just too dear not to mention. Rebekka, originally from the Alabama coast and now residing in Nashville, works creating hand-painted watercolor and gouache paintings, illustrations, and prints. My favorite from her catalog of work would definitely have to be her custom-illustrated house portraits.

5. Methane Studios - A partnership based out of Atlanta, Methane Studios got its start by producing silk screen posters for an East Atlanta club. While these two designers use the computer to produce their art, they never want their posters to "look" computerized and their goal is to always use it to tell a story or convey a message, often with a sense of humor.

(Images: As linked above.)