ABOUT THE ARTIST
Deanna Derosia is an illustrator and biologist born and raised in the sunny Treasure Coast of Florida. Growing up next door to nesting sea turtles, strolling alligators, and bright pink spoonbills ignited her curiosity for the natural world, and inspired her to preserve unique habitats like Florida’s for generations to come. She founded her business Sealacanth Studios to now help others explore our natural world, discover its oddities, and learn about their own next door critters through
the storytelling quality of art.
behind the logo
"Sealacanth" is a play on words for the first animal that inspired Deanna to study biology - the Coelacanth. This living fossil was once assumed to be the "missing link" between sea and land dwellers, and in the same sense, Sealacanth Studios strives to be a much needed link between science and art. The coelacanth also reminds us that even though extinction is a possibility, we don't know all the things nature hides from us. There's always potential to reverse the harm we've done if we still have hope.
Press + Publications
2016 - D. DEROSIA, N. HO, A. L.F.C. HO, J. LIN. Morphological identification of hybrid offspring between seahorse species Hippocampus erectus and H. reidi.
2017 - Vero Beach Portfolio Magazine
2019 - USCS Science Notes, Author Tom Garlinghouse, Turning the Tide: Revitalizing Elkhorn Slough
2020 - MarineBio.Life podcast
2020 - TCPalm
2021 - Liveview Oak Unveils New Mural Celebrating Florida Wildlife Corridor
Clients
Smithsonian Marine Station (Fort Pierce, FL)
FIT Vero Beach Marine Lab
Coastal Connections, Inc.
Pelican Island Audubon Society
IRC Stormwater Division
Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex
Path of the Panther
Fairs + Festivals
2017 Sebastian Lionfish Fest
2017 Walking Tree Winter Bazaar
2022 Space Coast Mural Fest
Research Background + Affiliations
Florida Native Plant Society member (2021-present)
Ecological Associates, Inc. - sea turtle field tech (2015-present)
Ink Dwell - mural assistant (2019-2020)
Coastal Connections, Inc. - founding board member (2017-2019)
FIT Vero Beach Marine Lab - research assistant + outreach (2014-2017)
Coastal Biology, Inc. - sea turtle scout + outreach (2014)
Smithsonian Marine Ecology Lab - research assistant (2014)
FSU Behavioral + Circadian Rhythm - lab tech (2014)
FSU Evolutionary Biology - research assistant (2010-2013)
Education
B.S. in Biological Sciences from Florida State University
Graduate certificate in Scientific Illustration from California State University of Monterey Bay
I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
For commission inquiries or other questions, please contact me at my email below, or through the Contact tab.