“I think I was born a designer.  As an avid child-knitter, I was frustrated that I couldn’t find the yarns and colours that I wanted in order to create my designs. This led me to a journey of working with sheep, learning to dye fibre, and spin the yarns I wanted—to create the clothes I wanted. It is a long journey of exploration and discovery and it continues to this day.

“I am very influenced by my surroundings—the natural beauty and forms of the forest and foliage are always found somewhere in my designs. I have a strong sense of function in my art and the desire that my work will be part of the recipient’s daily life rather than just admired from afar.”

Always inspirational, Yvonne Stowell founded FibreWorks Studio & Gallery over a decade ago when she and her husband, Reg, relocated to the Sunshine Coast from their home in Kitimat, BC. Having worked as a fibre artist for the majority of her life, Yvonne had the vision, ability, and passion to realize her goal of creating a destination for fibre enthusiasts from the Sunshine Coast and beyond. It was a challenging, exciting, and rewarding experience to create FibreWorks and work with hundreds of amazing artists—local and international. Hosting thousands of visitors at FibreWorks each year gave Yvonne the opportunity to showcase emerging and established artists as well as providing an educational opportunity through workshops.