ELY- Dafne Caruso is a local Ely artist whose career shows that it’s never too late to start pursuing the arts. The Northern Lakes Arts Association in collaboration with Ely’s State Theater, hosted a show from Dec. 11-18 of Caruso’s art. NLAA held a reception for her on the evening of Dec. 16 in the lobby of the State Theater.
Caruso creates artworks in multiple media, including leather, enamel, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, and even felted wool. She has been a regular exhibitor and vendor of her works at both Ely’s Blueberry and Harvest Moon Festivals for many years.
Her NLAA show was entitled “Ely and Beyond,” and featured color-rich paintings and drawings inspired by both the Ely area and her travels in Central and South America.

Never too old
Though she has a brother who is a professional artist, Caruso didn’t think that career path was one she would ever pursue. “I always wanted to paint but I never thought I could,” Caruso explained. She started her creative endeavors with sewing, like her Columbian mother and grandmother before her. Then she branched out to crocheting and knitting.
"Finally in 2012, I said I want to do this and I’m not getting any younger.” In her mid-40s, Caruso took an online class on painting which she described as her catalyst. She’s been doing art ever since.

Home in Ely
Caruso found her home in Ely the same way many others have. She was living in Massachusetts north of Boston and came to visit her artist brother, who lived in Ely. Like many other new residents to Ely, she fell in love with the town.
Caruso explained, “I stayed for three weeks and we went back home. Two weeks later, I said I don’t want to live here anymore. My husband said are you sure? Yes I am. And then it took us two weeks to buy a car, buy a trailer, pack everything and come here. We’ve been here since 2002, 20 years.”
Caruso owns the Art Corner, a local Ely art supplies store, which she opened about a decade ago. “I was twiddling my thumbs at that point,” Caruso explained, “and then a friend of mine who was another artist said ‘hey, have you thought about maybe opening up an art store?’”
“It’s been a lifesaver for me, because it’s not just art … I’m very generous with my with my time when people come in. I want to inspire people. That’s my goal.”