About Me
I'm Emily McCauley, the artist behind Green Sea Designs based in Rockport, Texas. An ocean-lover my whole life, I developed a love for marine plants and now view the sea not as a sea of blue like many do...but as a sea of green.
What started as a simple lab requirement for a marine biology graduate degree has turned into a passion for art showcasing the beauty of Texas coastal waters and the importance of aquatic ecosystems everywhere.
I've always had a love for art but chose to pursue my other love of biology throughout my education and career. While working on my master's degree, Marine Botany was my favorite course because the lab involved exploring our Texas Gulf coast waters to create a marine plant botanical collection. The science and art loves finally collided in one project!
Many years later while working as a biologist, I still had that need for an artistic outlet so I decided to mix my love of biology and art and go back to what I learned in that marine botany course - to create artfully arranged pressed plant prints that represent the beautiful species we have on the Texas coast.
My hope is that my work brings awareness to the beauty and importance of aquatic plants to ecosystems while also bringing a coastal-inspired look to your home or as a perfect gift to that special nature and beach-lover you know.
About the Process
All plants featured in my work were personally collected from habitats all along the Texas coast, but mainly in the Coastal Bend area. There's nothing better than spending some time out on the water, whether it's all afternoon or a quick lunch break stop, searching various habitats to find and identify as many species as I can.
Once at home, the plants are pressed over the course of 1-2 weeks. To preserve color and condition, the originals are then professionally digitized and printed onto Giclee prints and other items for various collections. Prints will always have the scientific names (if known) and collection date and location on the back. Preserved specimens are also used to imprint clay for the Salt Botanics jewelry collection and home decor items.
Thank you for stopping by to learn more about my work and of our ocean habitats. I hope you find a little piece of the Texas coast that inspires you.
If you ever have any questions please contact me HERE.