about the cult
the art of life.
The Cult
At Cult of Bees, we believe life is something to be cultivated—through intention, artistry, and a deep connection to nature. Our work exists at the intersection of art, ritual, and the natural world, celebrating the depth found in simplicity.
Everything we create is an invitation—to slow down, to engage the senses, to reconnect. Between hive and human, artist and earth, body and ritual, we seek harmony in the choices we make and the lives they shape.
Our products are made with natural ingredients, harvested from our own apiaries in central Maryland or carefully selected for their purity and quality. No synthetics. No unnecessary additives. Just the essentials.
For those who value purity and believe true beauty is preserved through mindful choices, our products are handcrafted and made to order.
Ethical harvesting is central to our beekeeping. We provide our bees with abundant resources and take only the surplus, honoring their labor and life. Every item we create is a reflection of this harmony—between human intention and natural abundance.
When you choose Cult of Bees, you participate in a cycle of stewardship, artistry, and care.
Len Luterbach, Founder & Beekeeper
Len Luterbach is the founder of Cult of Bees and the beekeeper.
A Navy veteran, he served in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, concluding his service at the Pentagon in 2003. After earning a degree in Social and Public Policy at Georgetown University, he worked in government before eventually stepping away to pursue an independent creative path.
Since 2010, Len’s work has gradually taken shape at the intersection of art, nature, and the human body.
From his studio and apiary in Carroll County, Maryland, he studies the quiet materials that live well with skin — beeswax from his own hives, botanical oils, and traditional fats long used to protect and nourish the body. These materials form the foundation of the made-to-order compositions produced by Cult of Bees.
Alongside the apothecary work, Len has written and photographed the human body for more than twenty years, exploring the relationship between mind and body — how perception, sensation, and physical presence shape the way we inhabit our own skin.
Years of studying the body through the camera and through writing sharpened an unusual habit of attention: noticing the small transitions of the body where warmth gathers, where skin meets hair, and where movement quietly reshapes the surface. These observations gradually informed the way he approaches formulation — creating compositions that respond naturally to touch, scent, warmth, and motion.
This long interest in the body’s lived experience eventually gave rise to the Cult’s Body Boundaries series, a collection of essays examining the overlooked places where skin, warmth, movement, and attention meet.
Everything produced under Cult of Bees — whether honey, balm, or image — begins the same way: with close observation, careful formulation, and a belief that simple materials, thoughtfully used, can change how we inhabit our own skin.
Outside the studio, Len’s interests range widely. He spends part of each summer in Colorado hosting the Cult’s art camps in the mountains, and winters are often devoted to skiing. His dog is a constant presence, and his reading tends to wander toward philosophy — particularly the work of Jacques Lacan, Maurice Marleau-Ponty, and Aristotle. A longtime admirer of Uruguay and its culture, he is also an enthusiastic supporter of Club Nacional de Football.