At Lybar Creations near Mars Hill, Barbara and Lyle Petersen create work with a unique fusion of skill and imagination. Barbara, a retired Episcopal priest, and Lyle, a retired farrier, create work individually, but they also combine their unique skills to create one-of-a-kind work under the name Lybar Creations. In the forge, Lyle creates wall hooks, door handles, gates, fireplace hardware, trivets, animal sculptures, and more. In her studio, Barbara weaves on a loom built by her grandfather, crafts mosaics from puzzles of traditional and other materials, carves whimsical creatures, and makes functionally ornate furniture.
The Petersons moved to Madison County in the early 1990s. After retiring from their separate careers, they dove head-on into their individual and collective creativity. Their creations range from imaginative to functional, raw to refined. Both are happy to demonstrate their craft to visitors as well as talk about their love for horses. Barbara and Lyle might even be seen on a ride in their horse-drawn carriage! Visitors can see a gallery of Barbara’s carvings in her home as well as many different forms of work in her studio. Just across the way, with a horse in one side of the barn, Lyle’s forge occupies the other side.
Open by Appointment
