For Immediate Release, July 24, 2026

Contact: Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org

Laurel Irvine, Communications Manager, lirvine@seaturtles.org 

Turtle Island Restoration Network Celebrates a Record-Breaking Kemp’s Ridley

Sea Turtle Nesting Season with the 5th Annual The Art of Saving Sea Turtles Gala

GALVESTON, TEXAS – Following a record-breaking Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nesting season on the Texas coast, Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) is inviting the community to celebrate this conservation milestone at the 5th Annual The Art of Saving Sea Turtles gala on Sunday, October 18, from 1:00–3:30 p.m. at the historic 1859 Ashton Villa in Galveston.

This year’s event comes at a particularly exciting time for sea turtle conservation. The unprecedented number of Kemp’s ridley nests documented along the Texas coast (more here) reflects decades of collaborative conservation efforts by organizations, volunteers, agencies, and local communities working to recover the world’s most endangered sea turtle. While this milestone is worth celebrating, continued conservation is essential to ensure these positive trends continue for generations to come.

Now in its fifth year, The Art of Saving Sea Turtles celebrates the people and partnerships that make local sea turtle conservation possible while raising critical funds for TIRN’s work protecting nesting beaches, hosting the state sea turtle hotline, reducing threats to marine wildlife, and engaging communities in ocean stewardship.

Guests will enjoy the beloved Turtles About Town public art project (more here), featuring beautifully painted sea turtle sculptures that celebrate Galveston’s unique culture while promoting conservation and tourism. The afternoon also includes a raffle, beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres, and the presentation of TIRNS’s Volunteer of the Year Award to Niels Nilson Lenz, whose creativity, generosity, and countless volunteer hours have strengthened the organization’s Gulf Coast programs.

“The Turtles about Town art project has been a labor of love, and we are deeply grateful it has been embraced by the Galveston community,” said Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director.  “It has helped to raise awareness of our state sea turtle, the Kemp’s ridley, and buoyed awareness for protection of our beaches and the Gulf. The TIRN team looks forward to celebrating with everyone in October”.

TIRN is also seeking event sponsors and raffle donors to help make this milestone celebration a success. Sponsorship directly supports the organization’s local sea turtle and ocean conservation programs while providing businesses and community partners with meaningful visibility during one of Galveston’s signature conservation events.

Event Details:

• Early Bird individual tickets are now on sale for $100 through August 31. Beginning September 1, tickets will increase to $125.
• All proceeds from The Art of Saving Sea Turtles benefit TIRN’s local sea turtle conservation and ocean programs.
• For sponsorship opportunities or event inquiries, please contact Joanie Steinhaus at joanie@seaturtles.org or (409) 795-8426.

For more information on The Art of Saving Sea Turtles annual event, visit www.seaturtles.org/the-art-of-saving-sea-turtles.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.

We’re excited to announce that The Art of Saving Sea Turtles is returning for its fifth year on Sunday, October 18th at the historic 1859 Ashton Villa in Galveston, Texas!

This beloved annual benefit brings together conservation, community, and creativity to celebrate the incredible work being done to protect Texas’ sea turtles and coastal ecosystems. Guests will enjoy an afternoon featuring local art, the inspiring Turtles About Town art project, delicious hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, mimosas, raffle prizes and more – all while supporting Turtle Island Restoration Network’s local sea turtle and ocean conservation programs.

Whether you’ve attended in the past or are joining us for the first time, this year’s event promises to be another memorable celebration of the people and partnerships making a difference for marine wildlife.

Sponsorship Opportunities Are Now Open

Businesses, organizations, and individuals are invited to become event sponsors and demonstrate their commitment to protecting our oceans and the wildlife that depends on them. Sponsorships help make this event possible while directly supporting Turtle Island Restoration Network’s sea turtle conservation and ocean advocacy efforts in Texas. If you’re interested in sponsoring this year’s event or donating a raffle or in-kind item, we’d love to hear from you!

Learn more about Sponsorship Opportunities here – Please contact Joanie Steinhaus at joanie@seaturtles.org or (409) 795-8426 for more information.

Stay Tuned for Tickets

Individual tickets will be available soon! We’ll announce ticket sales in the coming weeks, so be sure to stay tuned through our email newsletter and social media for the official launch.

Save the Date
The Art of Saving Sea Turtles
Sunday, October 18
1:00–3:30 p.m.
1859 Ashton Villa
Galveston, Texas

We can’t wait to celebrate with you this October while raising critical support for sea turtle conservation. We hope to sea you there!

For Immediate Release, October 14, 2025

Contact: Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org

Laurel Irvine, Communications Manager, lirvine@seaturtles.org 

Turtle Island Restoration Network and Earthjustice Celebrate a Successful 4th Annual The Art of Saving Sea Turtles Gala

GALVESTON, TEXAS – Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN), in partnership with Earthjustice and Galveston 7-Day Cleaning, is celebrating the resounding success of the 4th annual The Art of Saving Sea Turtles gala, held this past Sunday, October 12th, at the iconic Bryan Museum in the heart of Galveston.

The sold-out event brought together artists, ocean advocates and conservation supporters from across the Gulf to raise awareness and vital funds for sea turtle and ocean conservation along the Texas coast. Guests enjoyed the vibrant Turtles About Town art project, featuring beautifully painted sea turtle statues displayed around Galveston, alongside a raffle, wine, mimosas and hors d’oeuvres.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of attendees, sponsors and the wider Galveston conservation community, the event raised significant support for TIRN’s local sea turtle programs. These efforts include protecting nesting beaches, rescuing stranded sea turtles through the state’s sea turtle hotline and engaging communities in long-term ocean stewardship.

Turtle Island Restoration Network extended its heartfelt gratitude to this year’s presenting sponsor, Earthjustice, whose steadfast partnership and legal expertise continue to strengthen efforts to defend marine wildlife and coastal ecosystems.

“This event is a true Galveston tradition where art, community and conservation intersect,” said Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director. “We’re proud to celebrate our local supporters and partners like Earthjustice who stand with us year-round to protect sea turtles, marine life and all that call the Gulf of Mexico home.”

 For more information on The Art of Saving Sea Turtles annual event, visit www.seaturtles.org/the-art-of-saving-sea-turtles.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.

We are thrilled to announce that the 4th annual The Art of Saving Sea Turtles event will be held on October 12th of 2025! Turtle Island Restoration Network Gulf of Mexico invites you an afternoon benefit celebrating local sea turtle conservation and community art set for Sunday, October 12th at The Bryan Museum in Galveston from 1:00-3:30 p.m.

The Art of Saving Sea Turtles recognizes the efforts of TIRN and their supporters who promote, implement, and contribute to local sea turtle conservation and continuously lead the way in raising awareness and making significant contributions to improve and protect Texas oceans, beaches, and wildlife.

Please join us at The Bryan Museum conservatory as we showcase the Turtles About Town art project that highlights the city of Galveston and the conservation efforts of Turtle Island Restoration Network while boosting economic growth and tourism.

The event includes a raffle, beer, wine, mimosas and hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds go to Turtle Island Restoration Network’s local sea turtle conservation and ocean programs.

Sponsorship opportunities are currently available. Please review the following forms and return them to Turtle Island Restoration Network.

• Event Sponsorship Form
• Raffle/In-Kind Donation Form

As a sponsor of The Art of Saving Sea Turtles, your generous support directly helps Turtle Island Restoration Network’s local sea turtle and ocean conservation programs. Please direct any inquiries to Joanie Steinhaus at joanie@seaturtles.org or (409) 795-8426.

Tickets are now on sale! Click here to purchase gala table tickets. Learn more at www.seaturtles.org/art.

For Immediate Release, March 29, 2021

Turtles About Town to Install 50th Kemp’s Ridley Statue on Galveston Island

GALVESTON, Texas — Galveston Island will give a warm welcome to another community member this week as Turtle Island Restoration Network and Clay Cup Studios install the fiftieth Kemp’s ridley sea turtle statue to its Turtles About Town project. The turtle, named “D. Gale,” will be installed at 2228 Seawall Blvd. in Galveston on Tuesday, March 30th at 4:15pm. Turtles About Town representatives and the statue artist and sponsor will be available for interviews.  

“This is a huge milestone for our Turtles About Town program,” said Joanie Steinhaus, gulf program director of Turtle Island Restoration Network. “Our Texas community has shined through during a difficult year and we appreciate our community for stepping up to protect the critically endangered sea turtles we share our home with.”

Created in 2018, Turtles About Town is a community art project that showcases the City of Galveston and the conservation efforts of nonprofit Turtle Island Restoration Network to protect endangered sea turtles on the upper Texas coast. Statues are designed by local artists and sponsored by local businesses and individuals, each representing a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the Texas state sea turtle and the world’s most endangered sea turtle. A virtual tour and a downloadable map of the statue locations is available on Turtle Island Restoration Network’s website. 

“It has been inspiring to see so many talented artists and wonderful business owners come together to provide the public with something that creates joy, as well as brings beauty to our wonderful island,” said Amy Owens, owner of Clay Cup Studios. “I feel very blessed to be a part of it all.”

As sea turtle nesting season on the upper Texas coast starts April 1, Turtle Island Restoration Network asks residents and visitors to call the Texas sea turtle hotline, 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535) if they see a sea turtle, a nest, or tracks on the beach. Turtle Island Restoration Network has sponsored the 1-866-TURTLE-5 sea turtle hotline for the Texas coast for more than ten years, and continues to raise awareness of the need to report any nesting, injured or deceased sea turtle to the hotline along the entire Texas coast.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a nonprofit organization that works to protect and restore populations of endangered sea turtles and marine biodiversity on the Texas coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more at www.seaturtles.org/gulf. 

Clay Cup Studios is a Galveston Art Studio that offers paint your own pottery, canvas painting, glass fusion and Art’tini. Learn more at www.claycupstudios.com.

For Immediate Release, October 26, 2020

Contact: Joanie Steinhaus, Gulf Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org 

Third Annual ‘Art of Saving Sea Turtles’ Gala and Fundraiser to be Held Online

Locations, Artists, Sponsors of 19 New Sea Turtle Statues Will be Revealed

GALVESTON, Texas — In lieu of an in-person event, Turtle Island Restoration Network and Clay Cup Studios are pleased to announce the third annual Art of Saving Sea Turtles gala and fundraiser is going virtual. 

Generous donors and supporters will come together on Thursday, October 29 from 5:30-6:30pm Central to celebrate the Turtles About Town community art project and raise critical funds to support Turtle Island Restoration Network’s sea turtle conservation programs in the Gulf and on Galveston Island. The project was created by Turtle Island Restoration Network and Amy Owens, owner of Clay Cup Studios, in 2018 to raise awareness about endangered sea turtles on the upper Texas coast while helping drive tourism and business to the local economy. 

“Amy and I are thrilled by the support of our sponsors and the talent of our artists in our community,” said Joanie Steinhaus, Turtle Island Restoration Network’s Gulf Program Director. “The project has raised awareness in our national and international visitors of sea turtle conservation in Galveston and of the many restaurants, services, schools and businesses our community has to offer.”

So far the program has installed 31 Kemp’s ridley sea turtle statues around Galveston Island, the Texas state sea turtle and the world’s most endangered sea turtle. The statues are designed by local artists and sponsored by local businesses and individuals. The locations, artists and sponsors of 19 new Kemp’s ridley statues will be revealed during the event, bringing the total number of sea turtle statues on Galveston Island to 50!

Admission is free, and all event donations will support Turtle Island Restoration Network’s sea turtle conservation programs. For more information and to register visit www.seaturtles.org/art.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a nonprofit organization that works to protect and restore populations of endangered sea turtles and marine biodiversity on the Texas coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

Clay Cup Studios is a Galveston Art Studio that offers paint your own pottery, canvas painting, glass fusion and Art’tini.

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Turtle Island Restoration Network and Clay Cup Studios install “Tranquilo Baby,” the latest addition to Turtles About Town, sponsored by Rudy & Paco’s and Vargas Cut & Catch by Paco and designed by artist Kathy VanDewalli. The next installment will take place on Saturday, March 21.

For Media Advisory, March 21, 2020

Contact: Joanie Steinhaus, joanie@seaturtles.org, 512-417-7741

Newest ‘Turtles About Town’ Statues Celebrate Galveston’s Commitment to Sea Turtle Protection and Local Art

GALVESTON, Texas — Galveston Island will welcome several new members to its sea turtle community this month as Turtle Island Restoration Network and Clay Cup Studios install the latest additions to its Turtles About Town community art project.  

Created in 2018, Turtles About Town showcases the City of Galveston and the conservation efforts of Turtle Island Restoration Network to protect endangered sea turtles on the upper Texas coast. The next installation will take place at the Sunshine Center on March 21 at 10 AM. The twelve new turtles will be joining 19 statues installed last year around the Island. 

Statues are designed by local artists and sponsored by local businesses and individuals, each representing a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the Texas state sea turtle and the world’s most endangered sea turtle. A map with the location of the first 19 turtles will be available to the public this month in sponsoring businesses and on the websites of Turtle Island Restoration Network and Clay Cup Studios.

“We are so humbled by the positive feedback our Turtles About Town program has received and appreciate our community for stepping up to protect the critically endangered sea turtles we share our home with,” said Joanie Steinhaus, gulf program director of Turtle Island Restoration Network. 

“It has been inspiring to see so many talented artists and wonderful business owners come together to provide the public with something that creates joy, as well as brings beauty to our wonderful island,” said Amy Owens, owner of Clay Cup Studios. “I feel very blessed to be a part of it all.”

What: Turtles About Town will reveal one of the 12 newest sea turtle statues on Galveston Island.

When: Saturday, March 21, 10:00AM Central

Where: Sunshine Center, 1726 21st Street, Galveston, TX 77550

Media availability: Turtles About Town representatives and the statue sponsor and artist will be available for interviews before and during the installation. 

As sea turtle nesting season on the upper Texas coast starts April 1, Turtle Island Restoration Network asks residents and visitors to call the Texas sea turtle hotline, 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535) if they see a sea turtle, a nest, or tracks on the beach. 

Turtle Island Restoration Network has sponsored the 1-866-TURTLE-5 sea turtle hotline for the Texas coast for more than ten years, and continues to raise awareness of the need to report any nesting, injured or deceased sea turtle to the hotline along the entire Texas coast.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a nonprofit organization that works to protect and restore populations of endangered sea turtles and marine biodiversity on the Texas coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more at www.seaturtles.org/gulf. 

Clay Cup Studios is a Galveston Art Studio that offers paint your own pottery, canvas painting, glass fusion and Art’tini. Learn more at www.claycupstudios.com. 

Turtle Island Restoration Network is thrilled to announce we are a top finalist for Best Non-Profit Organization in Galveston.com’s 2019 Best of the Island Awards!

All autumn long, thousands of visitors to Galveston.com have nominated their favorite people, places, and organizations in the annual Best of the Island Awards. Being a finalist in the Best Non-Profit Organization category is a significant distinction we are so honored to receive.

Voting has already started and will continue through December 31.  Before you can cast your votes, you must first register by submitting your email address, and following the directions displayed. You can vote for Turtle Island Restoration Network by clicking here and selecting the “Politics and Public Affairs” category. You may cast your vote once per day, per category.

Our office in Galveston, Texas protects and restores populations of endangered sea turtles and marine biodiversity on the Texas coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

Just this year, our Gulf team made significant strides in our goals for education, hands-on sea turtle conservation, volunteerism, and advocacy and community arts including:

• Recruiting more than 300 volunteers to look for nesting sea turtles from April-June. In total, we patrolled 18,360 miles of beach and contributed to locating and protecting a total of 190 nests throughout the  entire Texas coast!
• Managing 49% of the fishing line collection tubes in Galveston County, collecting 1,081 pounds of fishing line that would otherwise end up in the ocean.
• Installing 19 sea turtle statues designed by local artists around Galveston Island as part of our Turtles About Town campaign to raise awareness of the importance to protect the world’s most critically endangered sea turtle, the Kemp’s ridley.
• Expanding our community-based microplastic pollution research through student and volunteer engagement, a project that is contributing to a growing need to collect, report, and share publicly accessible data on microplastics and plastic pollutants Gulf-wide.
• Submitting more than 7,000 petitions to request state and federal agencies acknowledge the record-breaking number of stranded sea turtles and the need for Turtle Excluder Devices on all fishing vessels in the Gulf of Mexico.

We are so grateful for the ongoing support of our community and our members to engage Galveston and the upper Texas coast community in protecting iconic sea turtles and our coast’s natural heritage. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Follow our sea turtle saving efforts in the Gulf of Mexico by signing up for our email list. 

More than 150 people joined Turtle Island Restoration Network at “The Art of Saving Sea Turtles” evening benefit on Sept. 29 at The Bryan Museum in Galveston, Texas.

In its second year, the event is a time for supporters, volunteers, businesses organizations, and artists to come together and celebrate the newest additions to Turtles About Town and the impact the project is having on our sea turtle conservation efforts, as well as boosting local art that brings awareness and charm to Galveston.

Turtles About Town was created in 2018 to help raise awareness about Turtle Island Restoration Network’s efforts to protect sea turtles on the upper Texas coast while helping drive tourism and business to the local economy. So far, 19 sea turtle statues are installed around Galveston Island, each standing at about 5-feet high and representing a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the Texas state sea turtle and the world’s most endangered sea turtle. Statues are designed by local artists and sponsored by local businesses and individuals.

This year, we enjoyed delightful hors d’oeuvres, desserts and beverages, and fifty-eight items were donated to the silent auction. Overall, the event raised almost $20,000 for efforts to protect marine biodiversity on the Texas coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico!

For nearly 25 years, Turtle Island Restoration Network’s efforts on the Texas coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico have safeguarded sea turtles and engaged the public in our conservation efforts through education, outreach, beach nesting patrols, classroom visits and other habitat protection efforts.

Turtle Island Restoration Network would like to thank you to the many individuals and Galveston businesses for making this event possible, and for the Galveston Island community for being so welcoming to the Turtles About Town program!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2019

Press Contact: Joanie Steinhaus
joanie@seaturtles.org
(512) 417-7741

New Sea Turtle Statues Announced at Galveston Gala

GALVESTON—Turtle Island Restoration Network and Clay Cup Studios are excited to announce the locations of a dozen additional sea turtle statues to their Turtles About Town program at “The Art of Saving Sea Turtles,” an evening benefit celebrating local sea turtle conservation and community art on Sunday, September 29 at The Bryan Museum in Galveston.

In its second year, “The Art of Saving Sea Turtles” showcases Turtles About Town, the city of Galveston, and the conservation efforts of Turtle Island Restoration Network and their supporters who promote, implement, and contribute to local sea turtle conservation and continuously lead the way in raising awareness and making significant contributions to improve and protect Texas oceans, beaches, and wildlife.

“We are so humbled by the positive feedback our Turtles About Town program has received, and we can’t wait to share the locations of our new turtles with our community,” said Joanie Steinhaus, Gulf Program Director of Turtle Island Restoration Network.

Turtles About Town was created in 2018 to help raise awareness about Turtle Island Restoration Network’s efforts to protect sea turtles on the upper Texas coast while helping drive tourism and business to the local economy. So far, 19 sea turtle statues are installed around Galveston Island, each standing at about 5-feet high and representing a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the Texas state sea turtle and the world’s most endangered sea turtle. Statues are designed by local artists and sponsored by local businesses and individuals.

“It has been inspiring to see so many talented artist and wonderful business owners come together to provide the public with something that creates joy, as well as brings beauty to our wonderful island,” said Amy Owens, owner of Clay Cup Studios. “I feel very blessed to be a part of it all.”

“This project encompasses so many things that make me proud to be a Galvestonian,” said Jim Yarbrough, Mayor of the City of Galveston. “This concerted effort to bring awareness to what public art can do for a community, as well as the conservation minded effort behind the message is beautifully done and we are proud to have the first statue here at City Hall.”

At the gala, more than 125 friends of community art and sea turtle conservation will enjoy beer and wine, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and more all to support Turtle Island Restoration Network’s programs to improve and protect Texas oceans, beaches, and wildlife. The gala will include a Kendra Gives Back onsite fundraiser, in which gala guests can purchase a Kendra Scott Mystery Box containing her jewelry valued at $60 to $250 for a $60 donation.

Individual tickets are $100. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact Joanie Steinhaus by calling (409) 795-8426, email joanie@seaturtles.org, or by visiting www.seaturtles.org/art.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a nonprofit organization that works to protect and restore populations of endangered sea turtles and marine biodiversity on the Texas coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

Clay Cup Studios is a Galveston Art Studio that offers paint your own pottery, canvas painting, glass fusion and Art’tini.