Genevieve Rae
Pākehā Tangata Tiriti
She/Her
Genevieve is a facilitator and artist working with textiles, nature, community, and exploring how these interconnect. The Micro Mill was born out of the intersection of these passions, where artists and crafts people can feel supported, live in their values, grow in their practices, and as teachers of their crafts.
While being the driving momentum behind the Mill, Genevieve continues to develop her own art practice and create materials with care for our ecosystems at the forefront. Multispecies philosophy guides her work as she creates textiles alongside spiders, bugs, fungi, and other non-human organisms. Genevieve’s work invites a sense of connection to the smaller beings within our ecosystems, each other, and the abudance of materials around us. She has dreams of a circular textile economy working within the ecosystems of Aotearoa.
Aisha Michaela
Pākehā Tangata Tiriti
She/Her
Aisha is a multidisciplinary artist creating experiences of gentle flow, and empowerment. Her work transports us to worlds of whimsy and devotion. These realms remind us we are no more or less important than the shells we find on the beach, and carry no less magic than a four leafed clover.
This whimsical woman brings her many talents to us at the Mill through the art of mending club, and other workshops like lino print, and chain maille. When it comes to the clothes we love, she believes every rip, stain, and imperfection is an opportunity for agency, expression, and showing the garment truly how much we appreciate it’s existence. Each month she has a new technique to share, empowering everyone who attends to take mending matters into their own hands.
Alongside her work with the Mill Aisha is a tattoo artist, you can find her work on instagram @biblicalwench_ink, and is studying fine arts and religion.
Photo by April Brimer
Mo (Monica) Dix
Tangata Tiriti, American
They/She
Monica/Mo is an interdisciplinary folk artist and resilience practitioner passionate about traditional crafts that build community and bring life to spaces. Mo is an immigrant to Aotearoa from Minowaking, Turtle Island (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA) with ancestors from eastern Europe. Their workshops draw on crafts, materials, and processes from their own ancestry in ways that honour the tikanga and whenua of Aotearoa. Mo approaches their teaching practice from folk art and somatic traditions - where the grounding process of making and the personal relationships we build with the material are core outcomes of each workshop. Through their practice Mo cultivates curiosity, connection and care, empowering us to face uncertain futures.
Leni Zooks
Tangata Tiriti
They/Them
Leni threads past and present into their work, combining elements of slowness and intentionality inspired by a history of family textile artists. While modern textile processing methods have harsh environmental and social impacts their work reframes that narrative by taking matters into their hands. Utilising second-hand fabrics, they naturally dye them with plants grown or foraged locally, and assembles quilts with techniques passed down by their foremothers. Leni’s practice patches together wellbeing, belonging, and sustainability into works that are meant to be enjoyed both as displayed artworks and cozy quilts to wrap yourself in.
Leni teaches natural dye and patchwork workshops with us at the Mill. Recently they’ve been in France to hide from the winter months here, as well as display their quilts at their very own show in Paris! We’re so proud and really looking forward to having them back teaching with us in a few months 🌸
Achille Segard
Tangata Tiriti, French
He/They
Achille is a creature of curiosity and crepes, having spent the last 14 years skulking around the capital publishing “woke leftist paper” as a founder of 5ever books. He has conquered our hearts, minds, and the specialty cheese departments of the local supermarkets. Achille is a master of chain maille now teaching his craft to those willing to take up the challenge. While our master of chain maille is overseas adventuring, his capable apprentice Aisha will be teaching chain maille!
Ruby Jane Osborne
Pākehā Tangata Tiriti
She/Her
Ruby is a fibre artist with a love for rope and knots. She explores macramé and the retro revival, the history of nets, plant cordage, ancient Celtic knots, and much more. These crafts encourage us to form strong relationships with each other, our environment, and ourselves. Ruby enjoys teaching others the ropes and tying people together through workshops. By respectfully sharing the knowledge she holds, she hopes to contribute to the preservation and innovation of these age-old processes.
We love having guest artists teach with us!
Get in touch: micromillteam@gmail.com