Artist Larysa Bernhardt Uses Old Textiles To Create Stunning Moth Sculptures (34 Pics)

Textile artist Larysa Bernhardt creates moth sculptures that feel as if they’ve fluttered in from a half-remembered dream. Working with fabric, embroidery, beads, and found materials, the Missouri-based artist transforms vintage textiles into delicate, character-like creatures that seem shy, nostalgic, and full of stories. Bernhardt’s fascination with old fabrics is deeply personal, rooted in childhood memories of growing up in Ukraine and spending time at her grandparents’ home, where walls were covered with tapestries, icons, paintings, and dried flowers. That visual richness, along with the emotional weight textiles can carry, continues to shape the atmosphere of her work today.

There’s also something especially poetic about Bernhardt’s choice of subject. Inspired by her longtime love of nostalgic cloth and the ritual of checking old fabrics for moth larvae, she began pairing textiles with the very insect often seen as their natural enemy. In doing so, she found not only a compelling visual contrast but also a symbol that spoke to fear, beauty, fragility, and imagination. Her moths are not just decorative objects, but tiny storytellers stitched from memory, scent, instinct, and emotion.

Wanting to learn more about the ideas and feelings behind these intricate creations, we reached out to Bernhardt and invited her to share more about her artistic journey, her process, and the symbolism woven into her work.

More info: Instagram | larysabernhardt.com