| With their bright colors, extreme proportions, and funky attitudes, bears by Shane Elliott and Steven Clark have an unparalleled joie d’vivre.
By Ann Goldfarb
Take two multi-talented artists, one in ceramics, the other in costume design, who were both seeking that elusive “something” to drive their artistry, toss in a chance encounter with a bear maker at a craft show, combine it with a dare, and the history of “The Bear Guys” has just begun.
Like their bears, Canadian artists Shane Elliott and Steven Clark are bright, colorful, and charismatic. They are inspired by “anything and everything — from the expressions on people’s faces to the colors and textures around them, to that special piece of fabric that screams to have a critter jump out of it.”
Their bears and critters tease the imagination with extreme proportions, vibrant colors, and a precocious charm that would melt the likes of Ebenezer Scrooge himself. “We have never been traditionalists,” explains Steven. “We are always thinking outside the box and enjoying life to its fullest. It is natural for our bears to reflect that.” But six years ago, neither artist knew how to make a bear. In fact, Shane never even had a teddy bear as a child.
By happenstance, they decided to attend a studio art show in their area (near Toronto) where potters, painters, and the like open their doors once a year to display their work and inform the public about their craft. It was that life-changing moment when Shane and Steven discovered someone making bears out of fur.
“Suddenly, we were like little kids,” remember Shane and Steven, “swept up in the magic of teddy bears.
The little faces brought out such wonderful feelings that we couldn’t help but smile.” Energized, they immediately discussed what they would do differently if they were the ones making the bears. A friend who was with them threw down the gauntlet with a mighty dare, admonishing them to be quiet and “Do it!”
So, they did. Their first bear, Bentley, was born from an old muskrat wrap from a thrift store. “We’ve come a long way from that cross-eyed, bowlegged little gaffer,” says Steven.
Like most artists in the industry, Steven and Shane say that support and encouragement from fellow “kindred spirits” helped them develop the confidence they needed to succeed. They credit Susan and Mark McKay, of Teddy Bears on Vacation and Bears of the Abbey, and Dianne Blencoe and Steve Sager, of Forever Loved, with helping them make the transition from creating bears to selling them.
“After learning that there were actually shows where people sold bears, we were hooked,” they say. “To meet the artists, to see the critters in real life, was magical.”
Their own magic is evident in every Bear Guy creation. Airbrushing, detailing, and, most recently, polymer details compel collectors to hold and want these bears.
It wasn’t always that way, though. Initially, Shane and Steven were afraid to cut a piece of mohair that cost more than $100 per yard. “We sat and looked at this fabric and would pet it, admire it, and put it away,” Steven says. “Getting up the nerve, we traced off the bear, squeezing the pieces together so tightly there was no waste.” Holding their breath, they made the initial cut and, according to Steven, “almost had a heart attack!”
When the shock wore off and the bear came to fruition, they quickly realized that they were hooked — and no longer afraid to work with mohair. In fact, they will now admit, “We’ll go out for a bag of eyes and come back with bags of yummy mohair because we had to have it.” If nothing else, they joke, “We sure are increasing the insulation value of our home!”
Their taste in fabric is “eccentric,” leaning toward bold and bright colors. Because fabric manufacturers don’t always have fabric to match what Shane and Steven have in their imaginations, the guys decided, “If we can’t buy what we want, then we’ll make it!” Dyeing their own fabrics soon became a “natural progression” for them. “It’s like Easter, our birthday, and Christmas all tied into one when the fabric is done,” they exclaim.
Color aside, what truly animates their bears and critters are the guys’ zest for life, genuine compassion, and joy. If you can’t find them immediately at a bear show, just look for a throng of people around a table, laughing and savoring the moment. Chances are, the Bear Guys are right in the middle!
The guys’ talents aren’t limited to artistic design.
Having had positive experiences with their own instructors, they decided to teach a beginner bear class when one of their past instructors wasn’t available to teach interested pupils at that time. Steven recalls turning to Shane and asking, “What would stop us from teaching a class?” “Absolutely nothing!” was Shane’s emphatic response, and before they knew it, they had written a curriculum and held their first class.
“I don’t think we’ve had so much fun in our lives,” they say, “as seeing the looks on the faces of the students as they breathed life into these little bundles of fluff.”
Like most teachers, they learn from their students, who pose questions and stretch their imaginations. “We’ve taken so many things for granted — you just do it that way — but asking ourselves ‘why’ forces us to question and grow as artists.”
One thing they have learned is that there are no mistakes, just “design features.” Accordingly, “the feet always get larger, the noses more pronounced, and the color … as far away from ‘teddy bear brown’ as you can get.”
Shane and Steven’s collaborative effort pays off when one of them faces a “cerebral misfire” and “can’t think what to do with a critter.” According to Steven, “The other picks up and gives that inspiration necessary to jumpstart (the process).”
They create one-of-a-kind bears, limited editions, and custom bears from furs and fabrics supplied by their clients. Currently, they are working on patterns to share with new artists. They recently completed heritage bears made from a client’s antique damask bedspread so that “memories could be shared with family and friends.”
“Essentially,” they say, “we will do anything that the universe opens up for us. Don’t dare us to do anything … because we might just surprise you!” TB
The Bear Guys: Shane Elliott (left) and Steven Clark.
Purple Haze, 10 inches and a member of The
Fingerlings series, is made of mohair. Edition of three
available from The Toy Shoppe.
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Boomer is 15 inches tall and made of
mohair. Private collection.
Barnaby, 12 inches, is made from curly, matted
mohair. One-of-a-kind; private collection.
Flopsy is 7-1/2 inches tall, made of hand-dyed
mohair, and an edition of three exclusive to The
Toy Shoppe.
Steven’s favorite design is Bibs and Bobs; this set
is in his personal collection.
Spike, 14 inches tall, is made of
synthetic fabric and has a velvet
face with a sculpted nose. Oneof-a-kind; private collection.
Steven crocheted Daisy, 4 inches tall, from wonder cotton thread mixed with a novelty yarn. She’s accented with marker shading, thread sculpture, and embroidered features. One-of-a-kind; private collection.
Spike (back), Tiggs (center), and Fluppy. Tiggs is 12 inches tall and made
of synthetic fabric. One-of-a-kind; private collection. Fluppy, 6 inches, is a
puppy from the Whacky Series made for The Toy Shoppe.
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