Artist bio
Halfmoon Woman (Pat Bruderer) is a leading keeper of the rare Indigenous artform of Birch Bark Bitings. Self-taught and inspired by the late Angélique Merasty of Flin Flon, Manitoba, she has spent more than three decades preserving and sharing this ancient practice, which she calls “Passing a Tradition.”
Her intricate birch bark designs have been shown internationally and are held in museums, galleries, and private collections. Now based in Winnipeg, she continues to teach, exhibit, and inspire through cultural workshops and exhibitions such as Biting Back Our Cultural Resilience, celebrating the strength and beauty of Indigenous art and knowledge.
ABOUT THE ART
A birch bark biting is a unique piece of Indigenous artwork. They are made by biting an image, using only the teeth, into a thin, single layer of birch bark from the birch tree. Birch bark had many uses historically, from making canoes and cooking pots, to medicinal uses. Birch bark bitings were used as a means to create bead work patterns on clothing and moccasins, to share stories and to record ceremonies. Birch bark biting is an extremely rare skill in modern times, and the rarity of the art form makes them even more special!
The artist begins by peeling a thin strip of birch bark from a birch tree. Then, by carefully folding the bark, the pattern imagined is pressed into the birch bark, using only the teeth.
Tailored for mixed audiences.
Passed through generations.
Honouring life experiences.
Artist statement
While some art is created by hand, mine is created with the teeth. My birch bark bitings capture an imprint of connection between light and shadow, teeth and bark. Each piece reflects a kaleidoscope of impressions from my life and the teachings that guide me.
I was born and raised in Churchill, Manitoba in the 1950s, with maternal roots in Southend Reindeer Lake and Pukatawagan. My mother’s resilience has impacted me deeply and her spirit is woven into everything I create. I’m a proud member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation; we are Assin’skowitiniwak (Rocky Cree).
As a self-taught artist with over thirty years of practice, I carry a deep responsibility to preserve and share this traditional art form. Birch bark biting is more than technique — it is memory, storytelling, and connection.
Based in Winnipeg, I am the Director of Creativity at an Indigenous Arts & Cultural Centre, where I continue to teach and share through community workshops. I’ve been designing clothing for over 40 years, a passion reflected in my recent exhibit Biting Back Our Cultural Resilience, which celebrates the strength and beauty of our people. My art practice now focuses on fashion design, including a recent show at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and a fabric line created in partnership with Siltex Mills. I am a mother and kookum, inspired every day by family, community, and the land.
