Welcome to Pensacola

A few years ago, I sat on the beach with my sketchbook and drew a happy little pelican. I had no idea that this simple doodle would one day become Pensacola’s new welcome sign, greeting thousands of people as they enter the city.

It all started when my mom sent me a post about a design contest for Pensacola’s new sign. At first, I brushed it off. I was busy with other projects, and honestly, these kinds of contests always feel like a long shot. But after a little push from friends, I figured, why not? I’ve always loved walking the 3-mile bridge and watching the pelicans fly by, so that’s where the idea for Harbour, the pelican mascot, came from.

A few weeks after submitting my design, I got the email … I had won! From there, I teamed up with the City of Pensacola and Dalrymple Sallis Architecture to bring the sign to life. What followed was a crash course in fabrication, engineering, and all the behind-the-scenes magic it takes to build something this big. Suddenly, I was reviewing technical drawings, material specs, and construction plans (definitely not what I expected when I first opened my sketchbook on the beach). But watching this project evolve from a simple idea to a huge landmark has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

Even now, seeing the welcome sign as I drive home from the beach feels totally surreal. I’m incredibly grateful to have maintained the copyright to the design, and it’s been so fun spotting Harbour pop up in new places around town through local licensing partnerships.

— Briana Spence

Meet the Artist

Briana Spence, artist and founder of Spence Studios, offers services in graphic design, custom illustration, photography, website creation, and more. In addition to her recent contest-winning design, Spence was honored among 850 Business Magazine’s 2025 Top 30 Under 30 for the Northwest Florida region. Check out more of her work at spence-studios.com.