Foals of Birch Bark by Jenni Tieaho - what else?

Birch bark is very versatile material, and without it the life of the northern 

people would have been much more difficult in the old days. 

When soaked, resilient but easy to bend.

When dry, very hard, durable and beautiful.

Snow Foals   by Jenni Tieaho, 2009

Photo by Jenni Tieaho

These foals were seen in Mänttä Art Weeks as well.

Detail of a tail

See more of Jenni Tieaho´s work

HERE

Birch bark has been  used for example as a building material for roofs and isolating. 

All kinds of everyday necessities were made of it, too: 

back packs, food storage and cooking dishes, rings, musical instruments,
even shoes.

Birch trees are most common of Finland's deciduous trees, and in Finland's cold 

climate even partly competitive with Finnish forests dominating the spruce. 

Birch trees grow in the coniferous forest zone mixed with conifers, which makes 

them a significant species of hardwood.To get birch bark we don´t cut the 

trees, bark is taken off the trees that are cut anyway.

Birch bark is a fascinating material. No wonder, that Jenni Tieaho has

chosen to work with it side by side with other nature´s materials like willow.

Back pack

photo imgrum @aholan_talomuseo

Shoes

allthingsfinnish.tumblr.com photo by Marja Pirilä

Photo Tuohimuori, Marjatta Flander-Airola

Rattle and pot cleaner by Tuohimuori

Jewellery box

Photo kouttu.blogspot.fi

"poor man´s engagement ring"

by Tuohimuori

Making a birch bark roof

Photo yle.fi

Birch photo puusto.com

Just imagine yourself and your horse in a birch forest...

There´s no better forest for a forest ride!