Lauryn Fly grew up visiting Galveston Island over the weekends, and they always loved to spot the common bottlenose dolphins that can be seen from shore. They began drawing as soon as they could hold a pencil and would draw from field guides in their elementary school’s library.

Lauryn received their Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Minor in Biology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2023. While they pursued their degree, Lauryn would work with the Environmental Institute of Houston and the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program on scientific illustration projects that would focus on a particular research area. They created posters that visually communicated the phenotypic variations in Texas diamondback terrapin and examples of scars that can be found on the common bottlenose dolphins in Galveston Bay. In May of 2023, Lauryn also had the opportunity to study abroad on an independent study project focusing on the two endangered cetacean species that can be found in the Amazon River, the Amazon River dolphin and tucuxi.

Outside of their role as an Eco-Art Educator at Artist Boat, Lauryn is a scientific illustrator and wildlife photographer. They also love to volunteer for the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program and the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network. One of Lauryn’s personal goals is to observe some of the offshore cetacean species that can be found in the Gulf of Mexico.

Lauryn is excited to be joining the team at Artist Boat and sharing their passion for the Gulf of Mexico ecosystems through art!