Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I love your boxes!  This one is great, I can't wait to see what you do for Christmas!

You mean you don't?   :crackup:

I am so glad you found the magazine, I guess I can quit tearing the house apart looking for it.  I know I have it...but my house looks like a library, and I don't keep the books with any rhyme or reason.  It's on my to do list.

I would like to see one of those museum type exhibits on the evolution of the teddy bear the way they do the evolution of man!

You know what Ellen, that's a great idea too!  I know when I am making something I quite often have a little story about it working in my head or am thinking about what inspired me to make that particular piece because that's what brings it to life as I am making it.  I rarely include that with the bear, but it's part of the creative process for me.

Judi I made a post last night in my blog about art and being taken seriously as an artist and I am going to post it here now so you can read what I said (I am going to post the whole post even though only one paragraph pertains to being taken seriously as an artist), this is how I look at it: 

                                              FINDING A HAIR IN AN ARTSTACK

"I read this afternoon that someone was trying to figure out what happened to the Mona Lisa's eyebrows and eyelashes. Apparently they aren't sure if she ever had any or not, and they are trying to find out. I suspect she never had any, it was probably the fashion of the day and gave the appearance of an even higher forhead. I don't really see the problem, Whoopi Goldberg doesn't have any eyebrows and she seems just fine. They also seemed surprised to discover that the sky was a brighter blue and her skin was more of a pink when he originally painted it. Yeah shocker, cause 500 years of oxidation wouldn't change a thing.

I have always been utterly fascinated with Leo. Long since before Dan Brown got ahold of him. I guess I can relate to him on some level because he is an artist with a scientific mind. What irks me a bit is that now all anyone seems to focus on, other than the eyebrow guy, is the painting of the last supper thanks to the Da Vinci Code. I don't know why people put so much stock into it as proof of anything Jesus did. It's not as if Leo was sittin there painting it while they were eating. About 1400 years or so passed in between the main course and Leo's art du jour, so he really had no more information than we have now.

There has been a lot of discussion about art in my realm lately. I am sure Jung would be thrilled to know synchronicity is still alive and well, but I digress. The question discussed today was how we in the bear community could be taken more seriously as artists. I used to joke and say if it costs over $100 it's art. But in truth, I think the first step is to take yourself seriously as an artist. In the beginning I thought of myself as a toy maker, much like Drosselmeyer from the Nutcracker. While I like that fanciful notion, the truth is as I developed my style I also became a true artist. All my works involve unique, original pattern design, shaping and sculpting to turn a two dimentional piece of mohair into a three dimentional work. Painting to accentuate it, and embellishment in a myriad of varieties. I make one of a kind pieces almost exclusively. So, a quarter of a century later, what in there makes me any less of a bonafide artist than a painter or sculpter?

All too often I think we get hung up on labels, and details like looking for Mona's missing eyebrows. We need to simply sit back and enjoy the things that the creative side of people's nature inspires them to bring to life without definition. Art is subjective, it always has been. The mystique of art is it's undefinable nature. When you think about it Drosselmeyer was an artist too, and Mona won't be any less of a work of art whether her eyebrows have faded over the years or if she never had any at all."

Edit:  I also want to mention that I agree with Paula too, I LIKE reading articles on artists who make very traditional bears as well as really innovative ones, because I prefer to collect that type of bear.  I think the ultimate key to a good magazine is to offer a variety of things that appeal to everyone.  I've always read both magazines (and a couple others that have since come and gone) since their very first issues, but I have always preferred one over the other because I think it is just a little classier and better presented.  In truth if we really want to support the magazines and make them more interesting so readers will buy them, maybe we need to just step up to the plate ourselves and submit more things for Mindy to choose from,  and advertise more.  (Which I am planning on doing very soon!)  I don't think Mindy is going to be upset if we bombard her with pictures of our work, while she certainly won't use it all, it gives her more to work with.

Well now ya know how animals feel when they look at us with our hairless bodies!

I just ran across this website when I was lookin for something else entirely, but I know how you guys all like fairies and WINGS so I thought I would share because it was fun to look at:

http://www.faeriechronicles.com

That's really cute!  I want one darnit!

You aren't just doin this so you can run off with the mail man now are ya? :crackup:

I am gonna toss out an idea Mindy's way...take it or leave it!  What if you started doing a monthly column on alternative forms of teddy bear art.  Like people who incorporate other mediums into their bears?  I think if you did something like that not only would it be interesting to see the things people do, but it would also inspire people to try to do new things to get in the column.  Perhaps that would help bring the bear to that higher level of true art where we are taken seriously as artists?

Look at Gingers junkyard fairies and boxes, or Karen O'Brien's use of other materials for limbs.  Sher Masor used to make some fabulous things that were really unique and definitely more art than "toy."  Or remember Janie Comito's beadwork on her miniatures.  Maybe what we really need is a way to inspire each other to hop out of our comfort zone and try new things so we can grow.  In doing so we would inspire new collectors and people to see just what we crazy artists are gonna pull out of our hat next!

(It's late and my brain is turned to tapioca after the day I have had so I hope I got my idea across clearly)

Oh Judi, I don't want to alarm you but I had shoulder surgery to remove a bone spur.  It takes about six months to recover.  You wouldn't think two tiny little quarter inch cuts would make such an impact, but the shoulder doesn't get much blood flow so it takes a LONG time to heal.  You cannot rush it either.  I am surprised your doctor didn't tell you this.   What brought me back to normal after the six months was swimming.  Acupuncture also helps tremendously.

As for the letter...that's just odd.

I'll give it a shot

:crackup: That was hysterical

This is my last Halloween piece for this year...on to Christmas! 

a lama?

I've never really done anything like this before.  I am under by one pixel width both directions...I had to do it to make my border fit, because there was no way I was going to redraw it all.  *Shrugs*

I used to keep it all nicely folded in a barrister bookcase, but then over the years I amassed so much mohair that I had to move it to tubs...many tubs.  They fill a closet.

I think I have about 4 1/2 years worth.  I normally don't save many magazines that long, but I loved these so much I went out and bought storage boxes to keep them in.  I have looked at the Christmas issues so many times they are dog eared.  I really hope that the new magazine will be like it once was.  Even if it isn't, I am excited to see it again.  They had a meeting in Texas to discuss it that people could attend and give them imput.  I was invited to it, but I couldn't get away to go.  I really wished I could have.

Speaking of magazines...has anyone else noticed a serious decline of Christmas craft magazines over the past few years?  It's dissapointing.  Here we are into October and only two have hit the stands that I have found so far.  In years past there have been so many more and they normally come in October to give people time to make the things.

I love magazines.  I really love them.  I think most artists do,  being the visual creatures we are.  My favorite magazine of all time was Victoria.  When it would arrive I would drop whatever I was doing and languish in the pages.  The pictures were always so lush and portrayed the world as I have always wanted it to be.  It was also a great source of inspiration for me. 

I am not sure how many of you remember it.  It folded some years ago after someone got the bright idea to update the format and modernize it, and not for the better.  It was ironic to me that they wanted to modernize an era since past. 

Anyway, recently they have decided to revive the magazine!  I am thrilled!  The first copy is going to hit the newstands on October 30th and I can't wait.  This is definitely going to be my Halloween treat this year!

If you aren't familiar with it you can have a look at www.victoriamag.com

Isn't it possible that the person who runs the site simply didn't stop to think about people cheating by voting more than one time?  Maybe they simply believed bear people to be honorable.

Or maybe they didn't realize that clearing cookies or people who have dynamic servers would allow for multiple votes.  I am sure they know now.  Maybe it's simply no ones fault.  I don't think we need to start pointing fingers and laying blame as if it was a malicious plot perpetrated by the artists or the site owner or anyone else.  What if the site creator reads this and decides to do away with the contest all together?

The contest is over and I am sure that the people who won had quality work that deserved an award.

(Also please remember there are two Kelly's posting on here, I was wondering why Ed was saying these things to me for a minute  :doh: )

My five favorite bear makers:

Kathy Wallace (Even though we just lost her)
Jennifer Murphy
Out Of The Woods (Although I don't think they are still doing it...are they?)
Tammie Lawrence
Steiff

Yup, like Shelli, I didn't realize that was what the issue was either.  I am surprised someone would set up a contest where people could vote multiple times.  That seems a bit unfair. 

Other than uploading pictures of each new piece to my blog, I don't really think the two have much to do with each other.  Most of what I post in my blog is not really work related, it's just my personal diary where I post things that are bugging me or amusing me or making me think.  It's more like therapy, however it does let people get to know me for better or worse. *Cringes*

Think of it like this, it's the difference between meeting a shop owner and admiring their wares and store displays in a professional setting as opposed to sitting down and having coffee with them and getting to know them.

Take a bow, you both deserve it!   :clap:

You know I read all this and I am gonna throw my two cents worth in.  I've never been much for entering contests, although this year I've been thinking I may enter one.  I am not even familiar with the one in particular you're talking about.

Anyway over the years we have had this discussion before about all the big contests; to a degree they will always be a popularity contest because people feel within their comfort zone voting for a friend or a name they know.  Sometimes those people are hot at the moment in a lot of areas so they garner votes whether they campaign for them or not.  Also a lot of people just vote for the face of the bear that appeals to them.  They don't really take into consideration how well it's constructed or how originial the pattern is, or even that one person may have spent 172 hours perfecting the pattern, costume, picking seams, embroidering the nose, etc.  While someone else may have spent 12 hours doing theirs.  They just see a face they like or a name they recognize and vote for it.  Many collectors aren't as discerning as you are Linda.  I wish more were, to be honest with you. 

Now from the artist's standpoint, again over the years I have seen people be really hurt by not winning.  I have seen people elevated to a standing where they could seriously over charge for their work as well.  But the thing with being hurt...if an artist is at a show and 400 people walk by their table and tell them how wonderful/cute/original/fabulous their work is and one person comes by and says it's garbage...they are going to remember that one negative comment over all the positive ones.  Sadly artists tend to be insecure, and fixate on things because that's how their brains work. 

Artist's should never, EVER take not winning a contest as a way of measuring the weight of their work.  Even if they think the other people who won didn't do as good of work as they did.   It's such an easy trap to fall into to measure yourself against what everyone else is doing or has done and try to fit into that same niche.  It's also such a mistake because you are trying to compare apples and oranges.  If you look around this site you will see that other than being bears and mostly made of mohair, that's where the similiarities stop.  People have such diverse styles and tastes and thank God cause how boring would it be if we all made the same thing! 

We should work on perfecting what we do, what we believe in as individuals, not what someone else is doing or believes in.  The reason their work is winning or selling is because THEY DO believe in it, perhaps more than the artist that didn't win.   Those people are out there promoting themselves and what they make because they believe their work is worth it. 

The truth is Linda, it's impossible to have a 100% unbiased contest based on quality of work alone because people form friendships with artists and bonds with bears.  So as artists we just have to take it for what it is, put it into perspective and don't take it personally.  For my own personal standpoint...I always try to make every single bear for myself as the measure.  I think to myself that if it doesn't sell, I want to like it well enough that I would be thrilled to keep it.  And you know what, I have never had a single one that didn't sell!  I have had a couple that I have regretted selling...lol