Pippa has had a needle in her hand as long as she can remember. Her passion for embroidery was revived after the diversionary years of career and family commitments, when she joined the Embroiderers' Guild.

Her second career took off soon afterwards. Pippa learned the delights of designing her own work and became involved in teaching.

She enjoys manipulating both fabric and thread into new and exciting textural forms and to use the sewing machine as a means to do this. Fabric, thread and machine are infinitely variable and the possibilities are endless.

Dyeing, painting, printing and stencilling fabric add further effects which are unobtainable in commercially produced products. Her main production for the gallery is dyed silk scarves using a wide assortment of different types of silk.

Pippa became a partner in Artisan Fibres textile craft gallery in 1996.

She is an assessor for the Association of New Zealand Embroiderers' Guilds.

Ria emigrated to New Zealand from the Netherlands with her family in 1975 and became involved in spinning and weaving. She taught spinning and has been a selector for local and national wool craft exhibitions since 1981.

She holds the New Zealand Spinning, Weaving and Woolcrafts Society Quality Mark in both spinning and weaving, and was on the Quality Mark Committee from 1989 to 1993.

Ria's awards include the National Award Winner in 1991 for Excellence in Colour and Design.

She was part of the group of textile artists who, in 1985, opened the gallery - The Artisan Fibre Centre in The Arts Centre in Christchurch.

Ria uses a variety of fibres; hand spun silks and wools, and top quality New Zealand yarns to design and produce shawls, scarves and exclusive fashion garments.

Valerie began weaving in 1975. In 1980, while living in Newcastle, Australia.

She completed the Craft Textile Certificate under the auspices of the Strathfield School of Weaving, NSW.

Valerie has tutored spinning and weaving since 1979, both in Australia and New Zealand.

She was a part-time tutor for the Craft Textile Course at the Aoraki Polytechnic from 1989 - 1993, teaching the fabric weaving module.

She has tutored at National Festivals in Palmerston North and Timaru. Valerie was also a guest tutor from time to time at the then International School of Weaving in Picton.

Valerie has been the recipient of several awards for spinning and weaving, both in Australia and New Zealand, including the "Glenrachy Merino Award" for fine weaving using merino fibre.

Valerie joined the Partnership of Artisan Fibres in April 1993, principally as a weaver. At the present time, she weaves and designs garments, shawls, scarves and wraps, beaded pins and brooches.

Alison has always been interested in fashion and textiles. After taking the ‘Home Science’ course at Avonside Girls High School she took an apprenticeship with Salon Celia and worked in the garment trade for some 6 years.

In 1953 she started teaching clothing and dressmaking at evening classes and continued for 35 years.

She joined the Embroiderer’s Guild in 1982 and served on the committee and also as President. She became the regional rep for the Association of New Zealand Embroiderers Guilds for four years, 1986-90. Her credentials include completion of the London City and Guilds Course in design and embroidery, a New Zealand Certificate in Machine embroidery and the NZ Certificate in Craft Competency. Alison joined Artisan Fibres in 2006.

She has attended many classes by overseas embroiderers in both New Zealand and U.K. She continues teaching and experimenting with textiles, both of which she much enjoys.

Alison makes pincushions, scissor finders, exotic evening bags, beaded brooches, and larger hand bags.

Barbara was born in The UK and came to New Zealand in 1952.

She has lived mostly in Christchurch except for a seven year period in Akaroa where she developed her love for fabric art and quilting.

She has twice exhibited at the Akaroa Gallery in the 1980's and later took part in exhibitions in Christchurch with the Craft Seen group.

Barbara joined the Artisan partnership in 1997 where she has been able to develop her craft more fully.

She likes to make bags with lots of antique and new buttons using a variety of threads and other embellishments.