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We have been carrying bears from several artists since we started Arts&Souls. They have come from as faraway as Australia and as close as Oklahoma. They have ranged from elegant lady bears in long gowns to wonderful bears that are air brushed. All are handmade with lost of tender loving care, whimsy and creativity. The artist's that we are currently carrying are listed below.
Apple Whimseys
Apple Whimseys created by seven women artisans designing, assembling, decorating and producing collectible plush animals costumed as historical characters and seasonal personalities. To aid in this process they employed a seamstress as well. The dolls are exquisitely made from a fairly elaborate process. A wire frame forms the body of the doll and the wire legs are inserted into molds containing wet plaster of Paris, which when dry, comprise the feet and calves of the form. This "skeleton" is then allowed to dry and is wrapped in batting, padded and sculpted to form the body. The head and paws are then added and the doll is dressed in fine fabrics, furs, feathers and other appropriate materials to replicate the character they wish to create, be it a Santa Claus or George Washington. Most of their designs are bears and bunnies, but they also make other animals including raccoons, hedgehogs, bulls and many others. The ladies of Apple Whimseys are now retired and are no longer making their very popular creations. The pieces that we have in stock are all brand new and in perfect condition.
Redland Bears
These wonderful artist
bears are made by Mark and Sandy Hudson. Most of their creations are finished with
airbrushing and the results are fantastic. From the very beginning, quality has been an important aspect of
the Hudson.s bear making. Sandy and Mark so admired the craftsmanship of their 1908 replica Stieff bear, named
Teddy White,. that they successfully recreated that quality in their own bears. Aside from the occasional use
of Alpaca for a specific affect, all Red Land bears are made from imported mohair and have glass-blown eyes.
They are stuffed with a combination of polyfill and steel pellets to create a firm, weighted feel. Excelsior
is used in the bear.s head to allow for easy needle sculpting of the face. Felt or suede is used for paw pads.
Red Land bears are also jointed tightly so they keep their pose. One of the hallmarks of many of the Red Land
Bears is the use of airbrushing as a finishing touch. Depending on the size of bear being made, it takes the
Hudsons 6-10 hours to complete a bear. Many of their bears have been nominated for awards and their bear
"Stormy" was awarded a TOBY award in 2003.
Monica's Attic Treasures
Monica Spicer came to Australia from Argentina with her parents and brother. She has always been very .handy. and started making bears many years ago, to the delight of many bear collectors. Over time, Monica honed her technique and her bears have taken on personalities of their own. Thy all seem to have a very saucy, cheeky look about them, or as Monica describes them, "bears with an attitude"! She says, "I like to think my bears have their own personality and say to people, 'Hi, please take me home.' I put a lot of time into getting those expressions just right." These adorable bears are lovingly designed and hand made from the finest quality materials. The bodies of the bears are all made from mohair with the exception of a few that are made from the finest synthetic fur from France. Each bear has glass eyes and is truly delightful. Each bear is fully jointed so it can stand, sit or be posed as desired. Every one of the bears' outfits is also hand made with special attention given to every detail, whether it is ribbon embroidery on a collar, dresses with lace colors, or hand sewn hats decorated with silk flowers. Monica's bears were featured in "Bears to Treasure" Magazine in Australia and in "Teddy Bears and Friends" Magazine in the US.
We have been carrying bears from several artists since we started Arts&Souls. They have come from as faraway as Australia and as close as Oklahoma. They have ranged from elegant lady bears in long gowns to wonderful bears that are air brushed. All are handmade with lost of tender loving care, whimsy and creativity. The artist's that we are currently carrying are listed below.
Apple Whimseys
Apple Whimseys created by seven women artisans designing, assembling, decorating and producing collectible plush animals costumed as historical characters and seasonal personalities. To aid in this process they employed a seamstress as well. The dolls are exquisitely made from a fairly elaborate process. A wire frame forms the body of the doll and the wire legs are inserted into molds containing wet plaster of Paris, which when dry, comprise the feet and calves of the form. This "skeleton" is then allowed to dry and is wrapped in batting, padded and sculpted to form the body. The head and paws are then added and the doll is dressed in fine fabrics, furs, feathers and other appropriate materials to replicate the character they wish to create, be it a Santa Claus or George Washington. Most of their designs are bears and bunnies, but they also make other animals including raccoons, hedgehogs, bulls and many others. The ladies of Apple Whimseys are now retired and are no longer making their very popular creations. The pieces that we have in stock are all brand new and in perfect condition.
Redland Bears
These wonderful artist
bears are made by Mark and Sandy Hudson. Most of their creations are finished with
airbrushing and the results are fantastic. From the very beginning, quality has been an important aspect of
the Hudson.s bear making. Sandy and Mark so admired the craftsmanship of their 1908 replica Stieff bear, named
Teddy White,. that they successfully recreated that quality in their own bears. Aside from the occasional use
of Alpaca for a specific affect, all Red Land bears are made from imported mohair and have glass-blown eyes.
They are stuffed with a combination of polyfill and steel pellets to create a firm, weighted feel. Excelsior
is used in the bear.s head to allow for easy needle sculpting of the face. Felt or suede is used for paw pads.
Red Land bears are also jointed tightly so they keep their pose. One of the hallmarks of many of the Red Land
Bears is the use of airbrushing as a finishing touch. Depending on the size of bear being made, it takes the
Hudsons 6-10 hours to complete a bear. Many of their bears have been nominated for awards and their bear
"Stormy" was awarded a TOBY award in 2003.Monica's Attic Treasures
Monica Spicer came to Australia from Argentina with her parents and brother. She has always been very .handy. and started making bears many years ago, to the delight of many bear collectors. Over time, Monica honed her technique and her bears have taken on personalities of their own. Thy all seem to have a very saucy, cheeky look about them, or as Monica describes them, "bears with an attitude"! She says, "I like to think my bears have their own personality and say to people, 'Hi, please take me home.' I put a lot of time into getting those expressions just right." These adorable bears are lovingly designed and hand made from the finest quality materials. The bodies of the bears are all made from mohair with the exception of a few that are made from the finest synthetic fur from France. Each bear has glass eyes and is truly delightful. Each bear is fully jointed so it can stand, sit or be posed as desired. Every one of the bears' outfits is also hand made with special attention given to every detail, whether it is ribbon embroidery on a collar, dresses with lace colors, or hand sewn hats decorated with silk flowers. Monica's bears were featured in "Bears to Treasure" Magazine in Australia and in "Teddy Bears and Friends" Magazine in the US.