Category Archives: Behind the Scenes

This week in the Studio

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I had a piece of beautiful faux fur, similar to the fur I used for Walter, but in a beautiful cream and tan color. I had just enough to make a large bear like Walter, but I changed it up a bit. I wanted to make a ‘girl’ bear. At least that was my intention, I’m never sure what I will end up with, sometimes my best laid plans take on a life of their own and the bear ends up being totally different than what I thought it would.This fur reminded me of the coloring of a Kermode bear, also known as a “Spirit” or “Ghost” bear.
Here is the head after some clipping around the muzzle. I had to decide how I was going to make this look more feminine. I knew I would be adding needle felting to the face to give it more shape and character.

I always love to show you the before, in the previous picture, and then the finished face. It only seems like magic. In reality, it took me a couple of days to get the look I wanted. Lots of layers of needle felting here and there, I changed the glass eyes out, added a lower jaw so her mouth is just slightly open and then had a bit of fun with the shading of her face. I initially used just browns but when I added the touch of pink, she just came alive with personality. I’m very pleased with the result. Her name is Kady, the Kermode Bear. You can click on the photo to see it larger.

I’ll be putting her on Ebay tonight or tomorrow.

In the studio

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The bear I’m working on will be a big bear. The material I’m using is recycled from an elegant designer faux fur jacket. I think it may be faux silver fox. It is so soft and silky and the coloring is just lovely. I’m finishing up the face today and as usual, I didn’t really have a plan for what I wanted it to look like. I find it  works much better to make decisions as I go about whether to needle felt or needle sculpt the face or how much to clip the fur. Each step sort of informs me  on what the next step should be. So, it’s sometimes a nice surprise for me to see how it ends up. It was an all day process, but I’m pleased with the result. In the pictures below, you can see what a difference a day of intense face work can do! You can click on the photos to enlarge them.This bear should be ready by tomorrow, I hope.

Just starting to work on the face

Almost finished face

I also worked on a new paw and foot design for this bear. I’m very pleased with the look of it and I think I’ll be using it more. I’m deciding  if he needs some accessories to hold in his big, bendable arms. The photo at left shows him almost finished. He needs  the paw pads worked on and to be sewed up the back. He also needs to spend a few minutes with a brush to get that pretty fur all smooth again. Stay tuned for the final photos!

 

 

 

Another discovery on a rainy day…

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I found another  forgotten bin of supplies from years ago. There was a small stash of leftover mohair, enough to make 4 or 5 small bears. As I looked through it, I tried to remember the original bears I had made from each piece. Among the  jumble, underneath it all, I found a box that contained the pieces of an unfinished bear, partially stuffed. It was very different from what I usually design, with long skinny limbs. I remembered what it was. Quite a while back, I began a series of bears that I designed to replicate fine art. I think it may have been backin 2006.These pieces were meant to be  one in that series.
I found a photo of one of the other pieces in my ART series. It  was of the well known sculpture “Little Dancer” by Degas. I may add more to that series, but for now I have a different idea for the pieces I found in the box. I’ll be working on it over the next couple of weeks. 

Meanwhile, I’m making another traditional teddy bear from a piece of gold curly mohair that I also found in the box. I have it all sewn together and now I have to pick out all that curly fur that got caught in the seams so it won’t be sticking out when it’s right side out. It’s a chore, but not entirely unpleasant as I’m sitting quietly with the dog at my feet, listening to old James Taylor songs, while outside my window, the trees sway in the wind and rain and fade into the darkening, gray sky.

How lucky am I?

In the studio…

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The Ebay Auction has been up all week for Woodland Wonder (and ends tonight at 7pmESt), so I’ve been busy on the next bear creation. As you may know, I’m using up all the mohair I had in my stash before I order any new material. I only have a few small pieces left so I’ve been challenged to keep my designs small. My tendency is to design larger bears, so this has been a challenge. I decided since I am making them smaller, I had to add lots of  special details to make them stand out; open mouths, claws, accessories or ‘friends’.

I’m making a little polar bear with an open mouth. At left you can see how I create that open mouth. I add a lower jaw to the head and then insert a piece of suede, attaching it to the upper and lower jaw. It looks kind of scary at this stage, but  when I am finishing the head with needle felting and some extensive needle sculpting, it will look a lot different.
Back in 1998, I was one of the few bear artists to design an open mouth on a bear that looked a bit more real than just tacking on a flap for a lower jaw. That technique tended to look like an add on and gave the bear a very unnatural look. I’ve changed and tweaked my design a lot since then. There are lots of ways to create an open mouth and I don’t always use the same technique. Most bear artists today make very natural looking open mouths. We’ve come a long way.

This little guy is still looking a bit scary, but  don’t worry, now the fun begins in creating his face and character. I used clear blown glass eyes so I could color them myself. I’ve added a bit of silver leaf for sparkle. I like eyes that sparkel! This mohair is more distressed than I like so I will probably steam some of that out, not sure yet. I’ll be making claws and little teeth too.  But at this stage, we are sitting in front of the TV watching Project Runway All Stars ( Oh my, they are making ball gowns in one day!) while I  start needle felting his face.

The next day…he’s looking a bit more friendly with a new face! We’ll be going back up to the studio to work on those claws. He’s visiting with Cubby who just got  his new little teeth before he heads off to live with Leisa M. in Florida! I’m a little jealous…it’s going to be frigid here on Cape Cod this weekend!

(That teeny Panda in the background is holding a teenier panda baby. You can find them on Etsy.)

I’m going to make a little surprise friend for this little polar bear. I love surprises, so I’m only going to show you  this picture…. a pile of wool with my felting needles…the very start of his little ‘friend’. Check back tomorrow to see  what it is!

Woodland Wonder

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First, enjoy the story and photos….Details follow

As the bear was walking through the forest gathering sticks and pinecones to build a fire to chase away the cold, he came upon a startling sight!

Something magical…

Oh My, what have we here?

Where is her mother? The bear looked left….

He looked right, searching the trees for a sign of the Wood Fairy.

The sleeping baby was so small, her tiny wings fluttering with each little breath.

The Bear saw her shiver slightly, so he removed his scarf….

…and covered the sleeping baby

The Bear heard a noise in the wind and looked up, anxiously…
it was the Wood Fairy returning for her little one.

The tiny fairy safe with its mother, the Bear went on his way.


Woodland Wonder

The Details

This is a One of a Kind creation. The Bear is 13″ tall, fully jointed with a double neck joint so you can pose his head at different angles. He’s made from an imported, distressed mohair. He is stuffed with polyfil with glass beads in his feet for weight.  He has sculpted polymer clay claws and painted paws. His arms are wired for bending. His face is needle felted in many layers of wool to give shape and character and shaded in several colors for depth and contour. His nose is custom sculpted polymer clay. The Bear’s eyes are amber blown glass. I wanted to  create an expression of surprise and wonder.
The  Bear carries a crocheted twine bag  to collect his pinecones. He wears a hand crocheted scarf and carries a walking stick.
The tiny fairy is sculpted in polymer clay. She is just two inches long. Her wings are made from transluscent clay. Her hair is a wisp of wool.
She lays on top of a real wood log covered in real moss from my woods out back. These are the pieces that inspired this project on my own walk in the woods. All have been dried and are free of moisture. The tree slice base that holds it all is 9×12 inches and is covered with a sheet of moss. I’m including extra moss and tiny pinecones with this piece.