Hi! I’m Hannah OB, the face behind OB Designs

My art has always had strong ties to the water. Working on boats for most of my life has given me a deep sense of connection to the ocean and lakes, wind, and all the creatures that we share the shoreline with. 

My art also has strong ties to relationships. I create art that has to do with our relationship to environment around us, to the creatures we share space with, and to each other. 

History of OB Designs

I started this printmaking biz back in 2021, in the cozy cabin of my 40 year old sailboat that I lived aboard with my cat, Roger. At the time I was docked in a city where I didn’t have a job and knew almost no one, so I fully immersed myself in printmaking. 

As a self taught artist, I learned by doing - designing, carving, and printing nonstop. My designs drew from the nautical elements around me - portholes, block & tackle, ship helms, pinrails and compass stars. I took inspiration from my boat Phoenix, from past boats I’d captained or crewed on, and from simply walking the docks in my marina home. 

In those days, I called my business svPhoenix Studio - named after the boat that was home to the studio. And after that first solitary winter I sailed Phoenix back up to Lake Champlain (where I’m currently based) and continued living aboard and operating the studio out of her cabin for a few years (seasonally). 

Over the years my art has grown and shifted, and so has the business. I’m still a team of one (plus my fluffy assistant, Roger), and I’m still carving and printing everything by hand, but I’m currently land based and loving it. My business name change came in 2025, when I made the bittersweet decision to sell my boat. 

With the shift to OB Designs I felt the reins loosen on my art. My art had already begun to expand to contemplate our relationship to the natural world, focusing on all the creatures that we share the shoreline with. And now I’m beginning to shift focus again to our relationships with each other and how we exist in community

As you read this today, my art will have hopefully grown and shifted even more.