Beginnings
Mom and Dad always encouraged
my "artsy" side. When I was
a toddler, they would hand me
a paper sack, which I would fill
with imaginary posies I "picked"
from the wallpaper.
When I was old enough to trust
with crayons, they always made
sure I had a ready supply.
Their significantly keen interest
in my masterpieces, supplied all
the stimulation I needed to see myself as an artist.
My style has evolved, or rather, expanded over the years.
My first designs were traditional. Even now most of my designs
have something of the traditional about them, translated through
my own personality.
I depart from strictly traditional
by exploring new ideas or when
I am just having fun.
I hesitate to put my style in
a box because I never want
to limit the possibilities.
Following a Leader
Mom was an artist at heart, and
an accomplished needle woman.
Knitting and crochet would virtually pour from her fingers, leaving me, gaping in awe at her flying fingers.
Most of the clothing worn by the
five of us kids, was either "hand-me-downs”, or Mom's handiwork.
As the eldest, it was my job
to mend my own skirt hems
and replace missing buttons,
often with boisterous resentment!
Back then, I was hard-pressed
to embrace Mom's prophecy
I would be glad one day, that
I knew how to mend and might
even come to enjoy it.
Years later, with six of my own
children (now all grown), I followed Mom's lead into needle pleasures, first from duty, then out of pure joy and appreciation for the legacy
I've been blessed to inherit.
Crossroads
You could say I am a bear maker
by default, although I do not see
it that way. To me, it seems it
was by design.
I first set out to become a doll
maker, but along the way, reality brought me up short, as an
empty pocketbook prevented
my appearance at the gala doll
event of the 1993 season.
Sad and weary was I, would-be reveler, now steeped in misery
over my pitiful plight.
Seeking distraction, I sewed a new project from a teddy bear pattern
I had bought but never finished.
As it took shape, I found myself somewhat amused as I gazed
into the furry little face of my
new creation.
Like patchy fog, creeping in...
slowly, barely tangible, scintillating childlike wonder stole over my senses, enveloping me--then suddenly, without warning,
a subtle "Twangg!" and then,
a sharp impact, "Thawakk"!
Queerly, the feeling of beguiled wonderment remained unabated
in my senses, along with a faint
touch of giddiness.
Slowly, over my befuddled grin dawned understanding. "Teddy
Bear Cupid" shot his teensy little arrow into my unsuspecting heart!
He whispered his teddy love song
in my ear, and my life was never
the same again.
My journey into the warm and
caring teddy bear world became
a permanent destination!
Inspiration
Any time, anywhere, when I least expect it, whimsy can captivate
my sensibilities and lead me
on flights of fancy to the land
of unbridled imagination.
A theme can catch my interest,
as with Ian, a jester of the people;
or perhaps a technique, such as inner-wired grasping paws, or internal eyes, which peer from
within the bear.
My whimsical fantasy reveries
result in creatures of varying
sizes and shapes with a median range of 6 to 15 inches.
Sometimes, a gorgeous piece
of fur, serves as the jump-off
point.
Often, a character emerges spontaneously, revealing itself gradually during the creative
process.
These detailed personalities
are intriguing individuals, each displaying a readiness to know
and be known.
The challenges and surprises
of bear making urge me on,
building and playing upon
each other, presenting endless
new trials and inspirations.
The Process
Someone asked me once,
what special tools, materials
or references sources I use
when I start to create.
I just laughed and told them,
"I use a highly refined process
of drawing a pattern on a paper grocery sack and then cutting
out the pattern and transferring
it to a cardboard cereal box."
I'm trying to train myself to use
clear plastic template material
so the patterns will wear longer,
but so far I'm too busy designing
new ones to consider transferring
the old ones to the plastic.
Elements
Mohair will probably always
be my all-time favorite. All
the beautiful, lustrous colors,
the interesting finishes and
proven durability make it my
top choice and best value.
Sometimes I like to use other
natural fur fabrics, such as Alpaca.
I like the look of alpaca when it
is aged by tea dying.
Occasionally, like when I'm
making miniatures, a fine
gauge material is needed,
and that's when I use the
quality synthetics that are
available.
Rayon viscose or quality faux
furs have been finding their
way into the mix of choices.
My critters are very weighty.
Tiny glass beads are carefully distributed throughout the
entire piece, creating a well
balanced, natural feel, which accentuates their realism.
Finishing details may include
colorful accents on faces and
paws accomplished by careful airbrushing or direct application
of inks or pigments, sealed
with fixative.
Eyes are often lidded. Faces
and paws, frequently detailed
with needle sculpting. Some
of my characters are enhanced
with costumes or embellishments
like old fashioned vintage keys
or bells.
The costumes may be vintage,
new, or custom made originals depending on what suits the individual.
Most are simple and straight
forward but once in a while,
I go hog-wild and create
something very involved and
time consuming as I did for Ian,
a bear of hand sculpted face,
whose primitive jester's tunic
and hood is completely hand crocheted of fine grade wool
with wispy copper wire and
semi-precious stones worked
into the borders.
Leather lacing and feather
ornaments are offset by an
intricately hand-pieced treasure
bag in the shape of a colorful
giant cicada!
When time allows, I enjoy
working on bears with internal
eyes and armatures. They
require careful planning and
precision handling of the fabric
and other materials.
The work is demanding but
the results are very rewarding.
To fix your gaze on a bear that
looks back at you with a truly
lifelike spark in its eyes, and
to feel the sweet grasp of an internally wired paw, both are experiences that will reach out
and touch the soul of a true
bear lover.
Time Constraints
My bears are fairly detailed, so
I suspect they may take longer
than most bears to complete.
Rarely, do I ever start and finish
a bear in the same day. Many
times they take days, or if very intricate, weeks.
Internal eyes and armatures
tend to take the longest, except
for sculpting, which can take days just for one face.
I sew body parts by machine
when possible, and by hand,
if the pieces are small.
Of course, the finishing details
are always hand stitched.
Currently, I am researching
a new material for reproducing
my sculpted faces.
If it works out, I will be able
to offer the finished products
for lower prices than the clay originals. I will still be the one
doing the work, but my time
will be better spent.
...Continued on Page 2 |
3428 Hillvale Road 
