Hi, I'm Lauren!

Hello, there! I’m Lauren Smith, the artist and founder behind Flourish + Fern. Fueled by plant life, ’90s nostalgia, music, adventure and a good espresso, I’ve always loved capturing the feeling of a moment through art and illustration.

My creative world has always extended beyond the artwork itself — into the spaces we gather, the experiences we remember and all the little details that make something feel special.

Flourish + Fern is rooted in Black Rock, Bridgeport, where I live and create, with workshops and private events taking me throughout Connecticut.

Over in East Rock, New Haven, you’ll find the original home of Flourish + Fern — the little sunlit studio where so much of it began. While my day-to-day creating now happens primarily from my home studio in Black Rock, I’ve held onto this special space and opened its doors as Flourish + Fern Studio, a styled photography and creative rental space for other artists, photographers and makers.

Whether it’s a piece of art, a workshop around a table or a sunlit space to create in, it all comes back to the same mantra:

Life is art. Create daily. Spread joy.

Creativity has a way of spilling into everything.

Art to live with

Art

Flourish + Fern began with illustration — inspired by nature, nostalgia, music, animals and the little details that make everyday life a little more interesting.

Today, those illustrations live across art prints, greeting cards, stickers and other pieces made to bring a little beauty and personality wherever they land.

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Experiences to share

Experiences

There’s something special about gathering around a table, picking up a brush and watching everyone interpret the same prompt a little differently.

From art workshops and paint + sip events to private celebrations, corporate gatherings and custom event painting experiences, Flourish + Fern brings people together to get their creativity flowing. After all, "the creative adult is the child who survived."

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FLOURISH + FERN STUDIO

A space to create.

Flourish + Fern Studio is a romantic, thoughtfully styled photography space available for hourly rental in East Rock, New Haven.

Natural light, vintage furnishings and character-filled details create an inspiring setting for portraits, content and creative projects — ready to style around whatever you’re here to make.

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Still happiest surrounded by nature, with a paintbrush in hand.

At the end of the day, I still need to make things with my hands. There’s something wonderful about getting lost in the process — painting, drawing, experimenting, playing and following an idea just to see where it goes. That flow state where everything else gets a little quieter is restorative in a way that feels like a bit of magic.

The art of making is food for the soul.