Dawn Butterfly
Benthouse Creative began its collaboration with Dawn Butterfly after Owner and Operator CJ Bernal was featured in Rhizo Magazine. His story, shaped by family, tradition, and the creative spirit of Taos Pueblo, marked the beginning of a partnership grounded in shared values.
As the Bernal family prepares to open a new restaurant on their property at Taos Pueblo, they set out to bring their three distinct outlets — the café, the gallery, and the restaurant — into one cohesive brand. The gallery, originally founded in the early 1990s as House of Water Crow & Red Coral Flower, had since expanded to include an off-grid café across run by CJ, from the church at the Pueblo.
Benthouse led the development of the full brand platform. This included visual identity, naming architecture, voice and tone, positioning strategy, and all written content for the new website. We supported the rollout across digital, print, and environmental applications, building a system that reflects the project’s deep connection to land, lineage, and community.
With this foundation in place, Dawn Butterfly is preparing to launch the Coral Dawn and Paul J. Bernal Foundation for Arts and Education. The foundation honors CJ’s sister Coral and their grandfather Paul Bernal, whose leadership was instrumental in the return of Blue Lake to Taos Pueblo. With a unified brand and clearly defined mission, the family is now positioned to grow partnerships, secure funding, and carry forward a legacy of creative and cultural leadership.
