Anyone who has been to Albuquerque, New Mexico knows that the “Land of Enchantment” is brimming with Southwestern culture. That’s just part of the joy of attending Luann Bowen’s excellent Annual Teddy Bear Show and Sale, which is the only bear show in the inter mountain West. Exciting activities within the city include the hiking trails that feature ancient petroglyphs, the Sandia Peak Tramway, and historic Old Town Albuquerque, a shopping mecca full of museums and native culture. Other interesting places within driving distance include Santa Fe and Taos.
Luann has held the show on the third Sunday in May since its inception nine years ago. She and her husband, Jeff, are dedicated to providing a superior experience for both artists and collectors. This is a small show — about 25 to 30 artists and vendors — but the quality is truly outstanding and the collectors are serious buyers, some of whom have been attending since the first year.
Luann also produces a high quality, artist-bears-only show in Austin, Texas, on the fourth Sunday in June. For more information, contact the Bowens at 512-280-8760 or plbowen@earthlink.net
Crossroads Salt Lake City
Dolls and bears fill the room at a Crossroads show, but promoter Dorothy Drake makes sure there's more for eager collectors to enjoy. At the April 2007 Crossroads Doll & Teddy Bear Show in Salt Lake City, the Olympus Doll Club hosted a Spring Fling Tea Party. The ladies chose a hat theme and sponsored a fun hat-making craft in addition to a hat contest. The hat centerpieces were in keeping with the fun theme, created by Judy, a very talented club member. The tea party was a hit with great food, a fun craft, a hat fashion show, and prizes galore. It was a wonderful way to chase the blues away and a reminder that the collecting hobby involves is so much more than just the dolls and teddy bears.
Crossroads Doll & Teddy Bear Shows will be presented in Portland OR on September 15; Roseville CA on September 22; Puyallup WA on October 13-14; and back in Salt Lake City on October 27. For more information, visit www.dolls4all.com.
From top to bottom: Luann Bowen of Lulu Bears, host of the Albuquerque show (photo by Sonya Shaw); Sonya Shaw at the Albuquerque show (photo by Sue Ann Holcomb);
Tammy Hendricks at the Lulu Bears show (photo by Sonya Shaw).
NEWS & VIEWS: BOOKS
Inside Out Bears
Bears, the first book by Kent Rogowski, is a series of portraits of the most unusual sort: ordinary teddy bears that have been turned inside out and restuffed. Each animal’s appearance is determined by the necessities of the manufacturing process. Simple patterns and devices never meant to be seen are now prominent physical characteristics, giving each one a distinctly quirky personality: their fasteners become eyes, their seams become scars, and their stuffing creeps out in the most unexpected places. Together these images form a topology of strange yet oddly familiar creatures. They are at once hideous yet cuddly, disturbing yet endearing, absurd yet adorable, while offering a metaphor for us all to consider. These bears, which have lived and loved and lost as much as their owners, have suffered and endured through it all. It is by virtue of revealing their inner core might we better understand our own.
Kent Rogowski received his MFA in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2000. He has received numerous awards, including the Center Award from the Center of Photographic Art, and was selected as finalist for the Calumet/Friends of Photography Emerging Artist Award and the Nerve.com Emerging Artist Award. Rogowski currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
To preview the book please visit http://www.powerhousebooks.com/bears.pdf.
Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales
Author Marlene Y. Satter will be attending TBAI (August 16-18) with copies of her new book, Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales In New Retellings, a collaborative effort designed to raise funds for the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
This new book, from Koala Jo Publishing, is a retelling of several traditional Australian Aboriginal tales about the koala. While the koala is not actually a bear, of course, many teddy bear makers also make koalas, and many collectors collect them, so Marlene thought a bear show "seemed like the perfect venue to introduce the book to collectors."
The book is a collaborative effort among many koala-loving individuals -- and the koala is under threat in Australia from habitat destruction, human incursions (car accidents, attacks by domestic pets, etc.), and disease. A technical writer, journalist, and published novelist, Marlene retold the stories (using her pseudonym, Lee Barwood). The full-color illustrations were done by some of the young students of the Central Ohio Art Academy under the direction of Donna Boiman and by Joanne Ehrich, the publisher, who is herself a graphic artist. Marlene says, "The students are all Steve Irwin fans devastated by his death who wanted to do something in his memory, and the Australian Wildlife Hospital, which was founded in memory of Steve's mother Lyn, is a major project of Wildlife Warriors Worldwide."
All author and artist royalties from the book go to the Hospital, and Marlene will be signing and selling books at TBAI -- one good cause helping another, she notes. "This is an excellent way to spread the news that animals the world over, bears included, need protection and care; we hope to raise awareness not just for the koala, but for all Australian animals and, indeed, animals everywhere."
For more information about the book, contact Koala Jo Publishing, www.koalajob.com. For information about TBAI, visit www.tbai.org.
Author Marlene Y. Satter's new book, Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales In New Retellings.
NEWS & VIEWS: FUNDRAISERS
Breast Cancer Fundraiser
During the month of October, coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness month, teddy bear and soft-sculpture artists from all over the world will participate in an eBay fundraising event. All proceeds (after listing fees) from this auction will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure via eBay’s Giving Works Program.
“The teddy bear industry is mostly women and I think it will be wonderful that we as women can use our talents so maybe one day we will see an end to breast cancer,” says event organizer and teddy bear artist Jodi K. Moisan.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all, and energize science to find the cure. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure and the generous support of people everywhere, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has invested nearly $1 billion toward fulfilling its promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. For more information on the organization, please visit www.komen.org.
For more information about the event, please visit http://bearhugsforhope.blogspot.com/ or contact Jodi Moisan at cwmoisan@comcast.net.
Pudsey Bear Fundraiser for BBC Children in Need
As part of the flying display season this year, pilot Nigel Willson has decided to raise money for BBC Children in Need, a British charity. "To do that, we're taking a Pudsey Bear flying with us wherever we go. Pudsey is keeping a diary of his exploits, a photo album, and a flying log book, all of which will be sold by raffle on the BBC Children in Need event night in November," explains Nigel. "The raffle winner will receive Pudsey, his flying log book, his hilarious diary, plus his photo album — a true collectors item. No other bear will have had such a diverse logbook with so many aircraft types or pilots before — and some of the pilots' comments on Pudsey make great reading!
"Pudsey has already traveled on the flight deck on RyanAir and easyJet flights, including flying with Captain Peter Beeson, who does the easyJet pilot stuff for the 'Airline' TV program. He's aviated on 'Sally B' (B17 Flying Fortress), and with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight on their Spitfire, Hurricane, and Lancaster. He's also flown in the massive RAF Chinook during one of their breath-taking displays at Duxford Imperial War Museum, and been with the 'Blue Eagles' — the Army Helicopter Display Team. … And that's not all! He's off to Canada to fly some war-birds out there. He's been promised rides in all sorts of other aircraft, with all sorts of other pilots, and all for a good cause!"
Far more information on Pudsey and his exploits (including his online diary and photo album to date) or to buy raffle tickets, visit http://pudsey.yakdisplay.com.
NEWS & VIEWS: OTHER NEWS
Christie's Auctions
• Collectors spent more than $355,000 at Christie's July 17 teddy bear sale, held at the company's South Kensington, England, location.
“This was an exceptional result for a tightly edited sale which included only fine and rare teddy bears and soft toys. Enthusiastic bidders from around the world, on the telephone and the internet competed for the impressive selection of lots offered. The top lot, which sold for $53,803 via Christie’s LIVE™, is now the third most expensive lot sold online at South Kensington,” said Daniel Agnew, Associate Director and Head of Department.
That top-selling teddy, a rare Steiff Dicky bear, sold for more than three times the original estimate to a private collector in Europe. Among the other premium pieces were a very rare Steiff somersaulting teddy bear, which sold for $13,451 (four times the estimate), and a very fine Steiff center-seam teddy bear, which sold for $12,228 (twice the estimate), both to private collectors in the United States.
• Christie’s will be offering one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive teddy bear collections when the contents of The Teddy Bear Museum, Stratford-upon-Avon are sold at Christies South Kensington on September 19, 2007. Personally put together by British TV broadcaster and politician Gyles Brandreth, the collection comprises around 2,000 bears, including many extremely rare and valuable items such as the earliest bear in the sale, Growler, a much-sought-after Steiff rod-bear, circa 1904 (estimate: £8,000-12,000). The sale will also include props, sets, scenery, and artifacts from the Museum displays.
For more information or to register to bid via telephone or internet, visit www.christies.com.
Crochet Classes Online
At the end of 2006, pioneering crochet bear artist Berta Hesen-Minten began what she calls "a new adventure, ThReAdTeDs® On-line workshops." She receives regular requests for workshops from people worldwide, but because she cannot travel so extensively, she decided to adapt her teaching techniques to the Internet.
"I realize that teaching online is different from what I am used to doing," says Berta. "I have done workshops in the USA, Germany, Italy, and England. Although I do not speak those languages very well, and I can't speak Italian at all, I managed to teach these workshops by demonstrating as much as possible. I knew I should do that in online workshops too. …In these interactive, online classes I supplemented the descriptions many additional pictures, and all the material to make the project. This first workshop was a great success, with students from all over the world."
Berta teaches her students how to make seasonal bears, such as her "Gift from the Heart" Valentine pincushion bear and Christmas Ball ornament bear. Classes start on a periodic basis, depending on demand.
For more information about ThReAdTeDs® workshops, visit www.threadteds.com or write to Berta at mail@threadteds.com.
Thread Animals Round Robin Project
The Yahoo group "Thread Animals" was founded in October 2003 by artist Debbie Nicholas of deBBitty Bears. Her dream was to promote the art form and create a place where people who love making fiber animals and want to learn could come together and help each other. The group now has more than 800 artist and collector members.
Beginning in the spring, the Thread Animals group started a round robin project. Artist Berta Hesen-Minten provided the original pattern, called StrawBeary Bear, which readers might remember seeing in a 2001 issue of Teddy Bear and Friends. Each round robin volunteer makes the pattern they receive, and then changes the pattern before sending it to the next volunteer.
Jean Corace, the first volunteer, made the bear according Berta's StrawBeary pattern, then changed the pattern slightly and sent it, with her bear, to Sarah Jones. Sarah made Jean's pattern, then added a crocheted collar and headpiece to the pattern before sending it to Bonnie Homan. Bonnie designed a panda bear for Michelle Medeiros, who added pointy ears and a tail to the pattern, which resulted in the cat, crocheted by Janet Abreu. Janet sent further changes to Alison Sawyer, and so on. Berta expects the round robin to end around Christmas, at which time all of the patterns will be posted online so the Thread Animals group has access to them. She says, "The goal, of course, is to promote the art of making [crocheted] bears, to see how long the chain of bears will be … and to show how much fun it is to share and play together in a group people with love for the same thing — [crocheted] bears and friends!"
For more information or to join the Thread Animals group, visit www.threadanimals.com.
Savoy Collection by Charlotte Deadman
British artist Charlotte Deadman of Bear-Faced Lies was recently commissioned to design and make a line of miniature mohair teddy bears for London's Savoy - A Fairmont Hotel. "As you can imagine, I was utterly delighted to receive this highly-prestigious commission and am thus far equally pleased with the results," says Charlotte. The bears should be available this summer.
For further information, contact Charlotte Deadman via www.bear-faced-lies.com.
Charlotte Deadman's first two designs
for the Savoy Hotel in London:
Josephine and the Chef.
New Online Store
Fans of the German company Kosen will welcome Caposh, owned by Virginia Stewart, a new online source for Kosen plush animals and fantasy characters. Kosen is known for the high quality and extraordinary designs of their life-like animals and artistic Fairy Tale World costume dolls. Virginia opened Caposh on February 1, 2007, in Philadelphia.
For more information, visit www.caposh.com or e-mail info@caposh.com.
Thread Artist Guild®, Promoting Artistry Through Knowledge
Two years ago, on February 22, 2005, Mary Robinson, a well-known bear artist, gathered a group of international thread and fiber animal artists together to create the Thread Artist Guild®. The purpose of this group is similar to that of guilds of old: to teach and to promote high standards in the revived and dynamic art form of creating miniature works of art using threads and fibers.
The international group has seen an explosion of new artists coming into the field and new interpretations of these collectibles taking place. Today's Thread Artist Guild® members are felting, knitting, crocheting, beading, and embroidering with every kind of fiber available to create small works of art, mainly under 6 inches tall.
In 2006, the Thread Artist Guild® inaugurated its annual contest with entries that completely redefine the image of bears (and other animals) made of thread, yarn, roving, and other fibers. In keeping with their "guild" roots and objectives, the organization set up the contest like a traditional juried art show, where each contestant has to meet specific quality standards in the construction and presentation of their work along with the artistry. The entries are "blind," so no one on the judging panel is aware of who has made what, and judging focuses solely on the quality of the work. In fact, a complete newcomer won first place in 2006.
The Guild has recently implemented an advancement process and criteria to allow its members to move from Apprentice to Artist, Artist to Journeyman, and Journeyman to Master Artisan. This approach allows artists of all skill levels to gain new skills and learn techniques to enhance their creations and to promote new creativity, designs, and ideas.
This year, the members made and donated bears to the Mother Bear Project, which is a grass roots, non-profit group dedicated to providing comfort and hope to children, primarily those affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations. The Guild also displayed member creations at the Las Vegas IDEX show earlier this summer, as well as sponsoring a workshop titled "Get Hooked on Thread Art Bears" where students were taught how to make a basic crocheted bear.
The Thread Artist Guild® has registered their trademarked name so that members can add it to their listings on eBay and other auction services. Members may also use the Guild logo on their business cards and letterhead. Consumers purchasing products from a Guild member can be assured that the artist is part of a group whose principal purpose is dedication to quality and innovation.
With its dynamic and forward-thinking methods combined with its age-old dedication to excellence, this Guild, a mere two years in existence, will be well worth watching in the years to come.
To learn more about the Thread Artist Guild®, please visit http://www.ThreadArtistGuild.org.
Each Thread Animal volunteer makes and then changes the round robin pattern, resulting in a chain of similar but unique crocheted teddies. Berta Hesen-Minten designed the original (top left); (clockwise) additional participants include Jean Corace, Sarah Jones, Bonnie Homan, Michelle Medeiros, and Janet Abreu were additional participants.
