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Chet Noll is an artist in Wrightwood, California. He specializes in beautiful inlaid woodwork that shows off the rich natural colors of the wood. Over the years, Chet has perfected works such as butterflies, hummingbirds, holiday ornaments and games, all made out of stunning wood inlay. He also creates gorgeous wooden instruments such as forte pianos and harpsichords. In the Butterfly and Hummingbird Collection Chet Noll captures and recreates the symmetry, graceful lines and color found in Nature's own creations. He believes that there is no better artist than Mother Nature herself but challenges himself with the task of turning wood into delicate art in motion. At an early age, Chet became fascinated with Nature's indulgence in the use of color and complex patterns for butterflies and hummingbirds. This indulgence is in reality a matter of the practical considerations of survival, mimicry, camouflage and the furthering of the species. Nature creates these works of beauty with little understood genetic and chemical processes which create the graceful lines and vivid patterns of color that have intrigued mankind for thousands of years. For Chet, the complex patterns are a matter of artistic consideration and inspiration. Capturing the freedom and fragility of these living treasures of beauty and grace is Chet's aspiration. Delicate techniques of wood inlay and marquetry are used to re-create these creatures that float freely in the air currents and light above their fine cherry wood bases. The woods used in these original works of art are often from the same rain forest as are the butterflies and hummingbirds from which they are patterned. No stains are used in this process; only the natural colors of the exotic woods, which vary from the deep blacks, reds and purples of African and South American woods to the bright yellows and warm browns of European, Asian and American woods.

A native of the San Francisco Bay area, Chet Noll spent many an hour with his father in the woodworking shop starting at the tender young age of four and still has to this day the 12" saw horse his father made him. At age six he began studying piano and in 7th grade his project of choice for shop class was building a violin. His first butterfly was a Christmas gift for his mother when he was 12. During high school he earned extra money giving welding classes and was commissioned by several organizations to do special woodworking projects. At Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington he received a B.A. in music with special emphasis both in Keyboard Performance and Baroque Instrument Building. From the University of Montana he received a Master's degree in Music History and Literature. While living in Montana, he turned his artistic interests towards the building of period instruments, namely fortepianos and harpsichords, several of which are currently in use throughout California, Washington and Montana. He also began music composition; the study of art history and philosophy, gave composition recitals and exhibited his wood working in galleries in Montana and Washington. Over the last 25 years, his one-of-a-kind creations have been exhibited and sold in galleries and gift shops throughout the United States. One shop owner in Chicago said, "Chet Noll's woodworking is one of the finest examples of American woodworking to be found." Recently his work was included in the Multi Media Mini Show at San Bernardino County Museum, an annual juried exhibition. Chet's artwork is currently on display in several art museums in Southern California.