Her passion grew more recently.

“Three years ago, I started taking a closer look at nature and realized I didn’t have to go far from home to find it,” she said. “I think many people believe you have to go to Lake Superior or up north for nice agates. There are nice agates around here, if you look hard enough. I found lots of Lake Superior and honey agates nearby I don’t have to polish all of them. Sometimes, they look nice just oiled up.

Her agate searches in the Minnesota and Cottonwood River sandbars and gravel roads near New Ulm led her to finding rocks, fossils and other artifacts including bison teeth.

Wear said she was particularly interested in reading stories about recently discovered dinosaur and mammath fossils.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Brea Wear’s rock collection includes a variety of Cottonwood River agates.

“You always think someone else finds those,” she said.

Wear recently created a Facebook page titled “River Valley Lapidary” that displays her wire wrap pendants and polished gemstones.

Her future marketing plans include vending at the Hanska 125th Anniversary (Quasquicentennial) Aug. 21-23, 2026.

She talked about what she considers an important facet of collecting fossils.

“I get permission from landowners when I go rock hunting. I respect private property,” said Wear. “I don’t want to encourage trespassing. We should only leave behind footprints. No tools, no littering. It’s extremely important to respect wildlife and land.”

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Bear Wear’s favorite polished agates before they are wrapped with copper wire.

A few years ago, she expanded her horizons by joining the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Hiking Club and Passport Club.

“I got a passport stamped at more than 50 of Minnesota’s 76 state parks and recreation areas after completing the trails (marked with blue, grey and bright green circles around the Hiking Club boot icon signs),” she said.

Participants are awarded patches at mile counts 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 175, and all). Individuals who hike 100 miles and all Hiking Club miles qualify for two nights of free state park camping.

In April, she and New Ulm fossil hunter Bill Eibner were searching for fossils and artifacts on a Cottonwood River sandbar when Eibner found what he believes is a cretaceous shark tooth.

Eibner contacted Science Museum of Minnesota Paleontology Chairman Dr. Alex Hastings for his artifact identification opinion. The artifact is slightly less than an inch wide, nearly three-fourths of an inch igh and more than a half-inch thick.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Brea Wear cuts and polishes agates and other semi-precious stones before wrapping them with copper wire. She and her business, River Valley Lapidary, are on Facebook.

Cretaceous shark teeth are generally believed to be 66 to 145 million years old. The sharks are reported to grow up to 33 feet in length.

Eibner said he met Wear on a Cottonwood River sandbar several years ago. They became friends and enjoy looking for fossils together.

Eibner, who has permit to hunt fossils for the Science Museum of Minnesota, has been searching for area fossils for about 10 years. He said select items will be donated to the Riverside Nature Center and Brown County Historical Society for the purposes of public display and education.

“We don’t want to horde artifacts. I would rather help advance public knowledge of artifacts,” he said.