Moira Wilson
Fiber // Writing

Paul Wilson and I moved to Sault Ste Marie in 1963 post education.
My husband and I discovered and came to love Les Cheneaux because of sailing, his  work in pottery and boat building  and my spinning and weaving after knowing Oliver and Edna Birge and Gordon and Annegret Goehring, and Vernon Moerdyke thru an Organization known as Upper Peninsula Crafts Council  and a sub group, Eastern Upper Peninsula Craftsmen.  These groups were  inspired by Ari Lahti though Michigan State Extension service, who also built a second  home in the Les Cheneaux islands.  The goal was to improve craftsmanship, designing, and marketing of all artistic skills in the Upper Peninsula in the late 1960's. The Upper Peninsula group met a few times per year in Marquette for educational workshops and rotated a Conference through the Upper Peninsula each year featuring work from the Escanaba, Copper Country,  Marquette, and Eastern U.P. in one of the four areas each year.  Eventually this Organization ended as each area developed local craft groups, area craft shows, and local art museums such as Alberta House in Sault Ste. Marie or St. Boniface in Escanaba .  I was an officer in both of these organizations.   With Annegret Goehring and Rick Shapiro, we were early members of the Les Cheneaux Artisan Coop.  Prior to the Old Shell Gallery, I also helped   Roxanne Eberts sometimes in her weaving studio in Hessel. 

Describe my self in one sentence:
Inspired by Ruth Scherer of Trout Lake and Glad Wonnacott of Sault Ste. Marie , I took master spinning classes in Canada and learned to weave and spin and later eventually wrote two historical books once I moved to Les Cheneaux in 2000.

We retired here because  Oliver and Edna Birge permitted us to buy and rebuild after their second home burned down.

Because I love to walk about and enjoy the Niagara Escarpment and the very diverse flora found in the Les Cheneaux, I occasionally lead nature walks.  I continue to be inspired by the stories from Mike Osogwin' s family and history for writing and local "weeds" that make delightful natural dyes for wool.

Currently I am more focused on personal writing and nature walks.
(what do I do if not spinning or weaving  or writing?)   

Sadly our recent pandemic has impacted many of my  activities.