Old Try: Letterpress from Home

When tornadoes ripped through the South last spring, Micah and Marianna Whitson, two Dixie-bred graphic designers living in Boston, felt the pull of home more than ever. In between checking up on family members (he’s from Alabama, she’s from North Carolina), they were inspired to show their support for the South the best way they knew how—designing evocative vintage letterpress prints emblazoned with iconic Southern images and phrases. As a nod to the region’s resilient spirit, they named their venture Old Try. “Our goal has always been simple: to connect a person to a place and to speak to a universal longing for home,” Micah says.

What began as a small collection of state love letters has since taken on a life of its own, growing into a series of more than twenty prints for thirteen Southern states, plus a few tributes to Dixie as a whole. As of today, the Whitsons are adding three new pieces to the lineup: a regal rendering of Maryland’s flag, a play on the catchy trick to remembering Mississippi’s spelling, and an homage to Arkansas’ undisputed mascot. Get them now while you still can: Southern pride may be infinite, but supplies of each limited-edition print definitely aren’t.

>Click to learn more about Old Try and see their letterpress prints.