Michael Rouse

He/Him

Needle Felting and Wet Felting Wool

I have been felting with wool for about fifteen years, since my friend and mentor Pat Nosal-Bremner said, “You’ve got to try this!” Thank you, Pat, for getting me hooked on wool. I have a background in arts education and am largely a self taught fibre artist. I am inspired by nature and am blessed to live beside Lake Huron, near Tobermory, in the summer, where I also share my work at markets with my partner and fellow wool felt artist Peter van Ryn. We share our creations under the name woolwaterneedle.

During the rest of the year we live in Kitchener-Waterloo where we present our work at some art shows and teach at Button Factory Arts Centre and with the Cambridge Library. My main focus as a fibre artist is on natural and urban landscapes. The rich hues of the colourful wool fibres I choose bring me endless satisfaction as I attempt to capture moments of light and depth in the world I see around me.