Meet Sean Fahie, the Artist Behind the 2025 Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Artwork
Sean Fahie is an Atlanta-based illustrator, author, designer, and the founder of Sean Fahie Studio.
In addition to being an accomplished multidisciplinary artist, Sean has also lived within walking distance of Oakland for almost a decade. With both creative expertise and a personal connection to the cemetery, it was clear to us that he was the perfect fit to design the artwork for the 2025 Capturing the Spirit of Oakland tours. We were excited to invite him to bring his vision to life!
Tasked with creating a graphic that references the cemetery’s history while feeling fresh, eye-catching, and aligned with Oakland’s updated branding, Sean sought to capture the slightly spooky (but not deliberately scary) atmosphere of Oakland after dark. After all, Capturing the Spirit tours are meant to enlighten, not frighten!
He found inspiration in a striking image at historic Bell Tower Ridge, where ornate sculptures and the Austell Mausoleum, at the highest point in the cemetery, stand silhouetted against the darkening evening sky. After experimenting with various color schemes and versions of the design, Sean settled on a moody, teal palette that captures the bold shadows contouring the cemetery’s structures and headstones after sunset.
Keep reading to learn more about Sean and the inspiration behind his artwork!
About Capturing the Spirit of Oakland:
Now in its 19th year, Capturing the Spirit of Oakland (October 16–26) remains one of Oakland Cemetery’s most beloved events. Beginning at 5 PM each evening, immersive guided walking tours blend site-specific theatre and history as costumed actors conjure the lives of some of Oakland’s most notable residents. Tickets are notorious for mysteriously vanishing, so if Sean’s haunting artwork has you intrigued, don’t wait to secure your spot.
T-shirts and hoodies featuring the 2025 design are available for preorder now and come included with the Premium Plus T-Shirt Bundle.
What was your initial inspiration for the Capturing the Spirit artwork?
Oakland Cemetery itself was the inspiration for the image. It's a serene and lush place filled with history and stories untold, and I wanted to capture that look and feel with the image. I walked through the park and took photos that helped inspire and tell the story of the park.
What's your relationship with Oakland Cemetery?
I've lived very close to Oakland Cemetery for at least 9 years now, so I've had my fair share of walking though the cemetery, or going to events and hangouts there.
What is your favorite area in Oakland Cemetery?
Maybe by the greenhouse. I have an affinity for flowers because of my grandmother. So I really am a stop and smell the flowers kind of guy, but I don't have a green thumb. I'm just good at appreciating them.
How has having Oakland so close influenced your work?
I have definitely utilized the park for its beautiful landscape and greenery in several photoshoots over the years!
Are there death and grief themes or narratives that you explore in your art?
I do in fact deal with grief and coming to terms with death in both my writing and art. More with my writing because both grief and death are such complex subject matters, and writing helps me to slow my thoughts down and really analyze them. Whereas with my art, I can give that complex subject visuals. In a way, you get to see more in an instant what my mind's eye perceives.
It wasn't all too difficult to incorporate death and grief into my work. I like (some) horror movies, and I have a bit of a dark humor side to me, so I'm not too shy to approach a piece like this. I live so close to Oakland that I joke that if a zombie apocalypse were to happen, I'm probably in the first wave of people to go, because I haven't run at top speed in years. I give myself a solid 2 days before I'm like alright, I'm tired. If you can't beat them, join them. lol.
What are you working on next?
By the time this comes out I would have wrapped up a mural for the Russell Center in Castleberry Hill, and I have a billboard illustration display coming out in August for AE Atlanta and Dashboard's Local Stories project. But currently, I'm going to be working on some in-house Sean Fahie Studio projects. Feel free to email me at hello@seanfahiestudio for your illustration or design inquiries. Also thanks again for letting Sean Fahie Studio be a part of this exciting project.
