Mixed Media
The ancient art of birch bark biting
The Native American art of birch bark biting requires practitioners to envision a design while biting down on a folded strip of thin, pliable tree bark. Birch bark biters punch small holes in the bark with their eyeteeth and then carefully unfold an image of a flower, a bird, or even an entire scene from nature. The ancient art form developed as a way of passing down stories, ceremonies, and patterns for beadwork; the process is similar to — but far more delicate and intricate than — folding a piece of paper and cutting out small shapes to create a snowflake. The flat pieces of bark become transparencies, similar to paper lanterns, through which light can be shined to show off the design. Birch bark is flavorless and does not damage the artists’ teeth, nor does harvesting the bark in large sheets hurt the trees. It is one of the oldest art forms of the Anishinaabe people, but over time, it all but died out.
Now, a handful of artists are reviving the practice. Wanesia Spry Misquadace, a member of the Fond Du Lac Ojibway band of the Minnesota Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe, is among the best-known birch bark biters. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she makes various objects out of the material, including bags, baskets, and cannisters. She is also an accomplished jeweler, using birch bark biting designs on silver, gold, and other metals, sometimes combining bark and metal in the same piece to achieve a balance between metallic sheen and matte wood. All of her imagery comes from nature, and she is particularly fond of thunderbirds and water lilies. Misquadace currently teaches sculpture, metal, and woodworking courses at Arizona State University. She has shown at SWAIA Indian Market in Santa Fe and has studied and taught at the Institute of American Indian Arts. The Ralph T. Coe Center is hosting Misquadace in a Creating Side-by-Side artist residency that culminates in an interactive evening of learning and making for all ages. Misquadace shows attendees how to create their own birch bark biting pieces from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, at the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts (1590-B Pacheco St.). Admission is free. For more information, visit www .coeartscenter.org or call 505-983-6372. — Jennifer Levin