Hi! I’m Mika.

I’m a poet, a fiber artist, a baker, a teacher, and a maker. After owning and operating a bakery for eight years, where I also taught baking classes, I’ve spent the past six years working for arts organizations with a focus on connecting artists to resources and support. I currently work as the executive director at OffCenter Community Arts Project in ABQ, a free art space dedicated to providing access to art making and social interaction for all. (A place and a community that inspires me daily — and is a hell of a lot of fun. If you’re in ABQ, come by and say hi!)

I studied literature at Western Washington University, and have been playing with words and art most of my life. I’ve created two chapbooks of poetry, ripscape (2007) and Spring Break (2019). In 2022, I hosted Small Batch Poetry on TPG Radio as a place to share poetry I loved, words from poets that inspire me, and writing prompts to get us all writing. (Find a few of those past episodes here.)

My visual art practice centers on a wide variety of fiber art: punch needle, rug tufting, weaving, knotting, quilting, even some occasional sloppy knitting. Drawing, painting, collage, and any other way I can play with color and make a mess show up from time to time as well. Playing with color and staying focused on materials and texture are my most consistent practices. Much of my visual inspiration coming from the rich history of quilting, knotting, and the many other ways decorative arts have brought beauty to utilitarian objects for all of human history. I’m currently enjoying the huge gift of sharing studio space with my friend, the painter Allison Jones Hunt, in the Studio at Sunday Service Motor Co.

Although I no longer bake professionally, I still find great joy in baking, cooking, and learning about food. Teaching classes and hosting workshops at the bakeshop taught me the foundational value of giving people permission to play. Inviting people (including myself!) to approach something that feels intimidating with curiosity and playfulness is central to everything I make and share. I’m also taking this core lesson into my art work, creative classes, and collaborative work.

I believe humans are innately creative, joyful, playful, and curious; and that those are among our most valuable attributes. At the core of everything I do with a small BATCH are the twin projects of connecting to my own creativity and supporting others in connecting with their creativity. The art I make and the writing I do is the playful making that grounds me. Supporting others in their own creative practices invigorates me. By which I mean: it fucking lights me up. I was blessed with a family that assumed and celebrated creativity, making, and play. I want to share that permission and fun with everyone. My work as a creative, as a small business owner, and as a project manager and program director for an arts organization have brought me to a wide variety of resources. I’m excited to share the tools and knowledge I’ve gathered over the years through classes, workshops and writing.

A small BATCH is a place for me to gather and share these projects all together, including fun new collaborations with my lovely mom, the one and only Jayne Maloney. She’s designed a series of sewing patterns which you can find right here! She's been making beautiful quilts, bags, aprons, and other hand-crafted goods for decades, and we’ve been making a fun new series of wearable quilts together.