Creative Matters and Campaign for Wool Weave a Northern Memory for Rideau Hall

Before it became a rug, it was wool. Before it was wool, it was landscape. Before it was landscape, it was a memory waiting to be recalled. 

At Rideau Hall this spring, a new addition made its place among the residence's collection of Canadian art and design. Unveiled in a ceremony hosted by the Canadian Wool Council and Campaign for Wool in Canada, a Vice-Regal Wool Rug was presented to Governor General Mary Simon, and crafted entirely from Canadian wool.

The Vice-Regal Wool Rug for Governor General Mary Simon, crafted entirely from Canadian wool

Creative Matters is proud to be the designer on the all-Canadian team that brought this rug to life. Drawing inspiration from her childhood in Cape Hope Advance, Northern Quebec, the rug transforms memories of the northern landscape into texture, colour, and pattern. The result is both deeply personal and distinctly Canadian — a contemporary expression of place, made using one of the country's oldest natural materials.

Where a machine-made surface simply records a pattern, this handtufted piece records a process, each knot carries the irregular beauty that handcraft can offer. The rug comprises 20 different colours and shades, with many spun together to create visible shading and transitions within the rug. The overall design balances the rawness of local wool with the restraint of a formal state commission, offering warmth and depth. More than a ceremonial object, the rug honours lived experience through texture and thread.

Created from Governor General Mary Simon's personal recollections of Northern Quebec, this illustration served as the starting point for the rug's design

"A memory is never a perfect image. It changes with time, becoming more about feeling than detail. In designing this rug, we focused on capturing that sense of place through texture, colour, and movement, creating something that feels less like a picture of the North and more like an experience of it," said Rosa Wharton, designer, Creative Matters. 

A Permanent Place in the Canadian Crown Collection

The rug now joins the Canadian Crown Collection, a living archive of more than 4,000 works that reflect the country's cultural history. The collection spans paintings, sculpture, furniture, and textiles, placing this handwoven piece within a broader conversation about how Canada chooses to preserve and tell its stories. It will live in the Pauline Vanier Room, where visitors touring Rideau Hall will be able to see it, along with the original drawings developed by the National Capital Commission which were created from Mary Simon’s memories.  

Its inclusion feels timely. As design increasingly grapples with questions of provenance, material integrity, and longevity, objects made slowly by hand are being valued for more than their aesthetic qualities alone. They carry evidence of process, place and human touch. At a moment when so much of daily life is frictionless and digital, the rug stands as a testament to the value of labour, material and memory.

"At its best, design has the ability to carry a story forward. This project brought together Canadian wool, Canadian craftsmanship, and Governor General Mary Simon's memories of the North in a way that feels both deeply personal and distinctly Canadian. It was an honour for Creative Matters to help translate those memories into a piece that will live on at Rideau Hall for generations to come,” said Ali McMurter, managing partner, Creative Matters.

The unveiling brought together the designers, wool advocates, craftspeople, and industry leaders who helped bring the project from concept to completio

Brought Together by the Campaign for Wool

Founded under the patronage of King Charles III, the Campaign for Wool was established to draw attention to a material that, despite centuries of use, remains remarkably relevant. The Canadian Wool Council is the national voice of Canada’s wool industry, representing producers, processors, designers, manufacturers, and retailers committed to developing opportunities for Canadian wool and the Canadians who transform it. Natural, renewable, and biodegradable, wool has found renewed appreciation among designers and makers seeking materials with both provenance and longevity.

"What makes this project remarkable is the process behind it. Every stage of its creation remained rooted in Canada, from the wool itself to the designers, artisans, and craftspeople who transformed it into a finished piece. In an era when the origins of materials matter more than ever, the rug serves as a reminder that craftsmanship, local production, and storytelling remain deeply connected. We are especially grateful to Dr. Michael Dan for making this project possible and helping bring this uniquely Canadian vision to life," said Matthew J. Rowe, Chair of the Campaign for Wool in Canada and Canadian Wool Council, and Head of Delegation—Canada for the International Wool Textile Organization.

At a time when the origins of materials are receiving as much attention as the objects themselves, the rug offers a compelling case for local production and enduring craftsmanship. From Northern landscapes to Canadian flocks, from wool mills to tufting frames, every stage of its making remains visible within the finished piece.

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