About Us
The North Shore of Lake Superior has always been a special place for us—we even honeymooned here almost 30 years ago! In 2024 we made the North Shore our forever home, and we draw inspiration from the beauty that we encounter every day. Thank You for allowing us to share it with you.
Carl has been busy this winter creating new types of butterfly art, such as the “Butterfly Fish” on the featured items page, as well as larger-scale works such as “Metamorphosis I” pictured here. In all cases, ethically and sustainably raised butterflies, moths and butterfly wings are the sole medium for the artwork.
I began preparing insects when I was twelve years old, and discovered that I enjoyed the meticulous nature of the art. As a student studying biology at the University of Minnesota, I was the butterfly specimen preparer for the U’s Insect Collection, and my work can be viewed not only there, but in museums and private collections around the upper midwest. I am currently mounting the butterflies in Riker mounts, which are traditionally used by collectors to showcase their butterflies, but I am experimenting with mounting insect specimens in clear acrylic, as well. My insects are sourced through an importer in Chicago who purchases them from sustainable butterfly “farms” in (predominantly) developing nations. I follow all the CITES guidelines and do not deal in any protected species. I am so pleased to share these jewels of nature with you! — Carl Dyar
Unlike Carl, my artistic passion was not revealed at an early age. I have had a career in IT telecommunications and networking employed at fortune 100 companies for the last thirty years. As I wandered through my forties I discovered crocheting and then quilting. Although I enjoyed the rewards of my work, I found the crafts had too many similarities to the business mindset I was encountering daily. Eventually I had an “aha!” moment and recognized my favorite textile to work with was wool and especially the feel of the fibers when wet felting.
Today, when I am not working full time in my home office, you might find me roaming the rocky beaches and riverbeds of the North Shore. There is nothing better than spending a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon wandering aimlessly looking for stones and pebbles to incorporate into my one of a kind wool pieces. — Teresa Dyar
Some of the materials for Teresa’s botanical luminaries were collected on a trip to the high mesas of New Mexico last fall, but most of her materials still represent the flora of Minnesota’s North Shore. Carl has been experimenting with creating fish and other natural subjects out of disembodied butterfly wings that might otherwise be discarded. Very little goes to waste around here!