Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I usually work on three cats at one time. But they are always very different, i.e. a large wild cat, small kitten, character standing cat. It just seems more efficient to work that way. First, after cutting I'm at the sewing machine, then stuffing and joint/armature area, and finally I take out all of the tools I need for coloring and fine details. It's easier to go through this for multiple pieces than to take everything out for each piece. Three seems to be as much as I can keep straight in my head at one time 

Donna,
If you look in the archives, this has come up before. Here's my question back in 2010 ~
Has anyone had this problem? I have some really beautiful 918 Edinburgh faux fur from several years ago. Apparently some stabilizing spray was used on the backing and over the years it has softened and become sticky. I can't sew it on my sewing machine. IT doesn't seem to be affected by soap and water and I fear whatever will take off the backing will, also, damage the fabric? Any ideas? Anyone else have this problem with other fabrics?
Karen
I have talked to Edinburgh over the last couple of years and there seems to be no solution. The Tyber faux fur company was bought out by Tissavel and Edinburgh says that one company makes the fur and the other company is responsible for the finishing and they won't admit to the problem and they won't give any solution. I've tried just about everything to remove the stickiness. THis is very expensive fur. Yes, you can definitely wash synthetic fur even with very hot water and soap, but that won't help. IT is a big problem and you have to be very careful when buying expensive faux fur, always get a sample before you purchase and check the backing carefully.
Karen

What an unusual color?! Almost a gray tiger with white guard hairs.
Karen

I have been thinking about where we are heading as an industry. I do believe there will always be a market for our art, but as with many other industries, things are changing very quickly. Regarding my business my method of selling and reaching collectors has dramatically changed in only a few years. 2008 my primary sales method involved shows and magazines, and the internet was just starting to work for me. THe internet has changed how most of us approach our business. In some ways I believe it has cut out the middleman in selling. Getting accepted into a prestigious show in former times would almost guarantee you a decent profit. Nowadays, many of these shows are gone, and many of us go to shows just to show our face and we are VERY grateful if we make a profit. Now in the US we have just one very thin magazine and I believe the subscription works out to $5.00 an issue (digital past issues are $1.99). Plus, you can no longer find the magazine on newsstands. In a current discussion we have been trying to understand where TTalkers have gone? Some suggest that many artists have gone to Facebook and blogs with their own individual sites.
Here's the question ~ Where do you think this will go? How will we evolve? I'm not against change and business is always changing, and our art evolves. I'm trying to understand, if we branch out as our own individual entities with no centers how do we reach new collectors and communicate? Can a business be run in this manner with us running in our own little circle and that will be enough to sustain us? It may just be I don't really understand the dynamics of internet sales? I think these changes are affecting a lot of different businesses and I'm always wondering how it will be in the next couple of years?
(Meanwhile, in my own little world, I send out my Cat Gazette once a month to subscribing customers and I use a few online shows and sales sites. KJ Lyons Design is doing well. But I do wonder and worry at times about where we are all going with all the changes?)
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

I think I'm one of the few full time teddy bear artists still talking here?    I'm not sure of the reason. I do find it hard to find discussions about business, shows, and what I need to discuss concerning the business of our art. I do enjoy the lighter moments and, especially, the photos of the day. But when it comes down to it, I NEED to be able to talk to other full time artists making a living through their craft. Maybe we need to have a division of categories for this?

Gail, THanks!
I'm working on a Clouded Leopard, right now. I'll have him ready for Daphne's Show. I can use all the images I can find! We have two baby Clouded Leopards born at the Tacoma Zoo and they go me started. Mine will be closer to an adult because I wanted to capture the beautiful coat pattern of the adult Clouded Leopard.
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

There will always be a market for some type of soft sculpture art. It is it's own art form as much as glass blowing, pottery, or any other art craft. I believe the reason we are losing teddy bear collectors is because the current generation has not grown up with teddy bears. BUt just because they don't have the same attachment to teddy bears does not mean that they will not appreciate the art of soft sculpture. I think one of the problems is that some old-timers insist that we stick to teddy bears and not expand beyond this art form. There will always be a market and collectors of teddy bears. IT is the history and foundation of our art. But I fear that if we are fixed in this point in our history we will fade. Look at the doll artists. They have a very wide view of what is considered a 'doll' and they allow artists to expand their art with a wide brushstroke of imagination and techniques.

Becky! I'm just finishing a kitten with the same length white fur as Petey. I hope you don't mind if I use Petey as a model for the final kitten. It must have been ESP, I even have the same color of blue eyes for this kitten 
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Wow! I gotta try creating those eyes 

Alfie has a 7" body with a 3" tail, the size of a real 4 week old kitten.
I have been experimenting with the idea of a full body armature for several years. Each time I thought I had found a solution I was disappointed with the feel. I have been trying to find a way that a character could be posed in many ways, look natural, and still feel soft without being floppy. I think I have found this with the creation of Alfie, my first fully articulated kitten. Alfie has a strong, flexible backbone with separate, softer armatures in each of his legs. His neck has both a traditional joint and flexible armature.
http://tinyurl.com/7dz2vng
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

WoNDerFuL Show! Also, great examples of good photography 

Shanna, I don't know how this bear is made, but I would tie off the thread ends of the mouth then cut the extra thread near the knot. If the knots are visible you can gently push them into the fabric. You can create the new mouth, now, and black embroidery thread is probably perfect for the job. Most artists would tie off the nose before starting the mouth but I don't know about a manufactured bear?
P.S. I just found Charlie bear online and it appears you might be able to just cut the two ends of the mouth take the threads and tie them at the center/end of the thread coming down from the nose. Sometimes if you give a little tug you can tell where the thread is going without having to open the bear. If the corners of the mouth are attached to the nose, when you pull them you will see the nose move. If nothing happens it probably means the ends of the mouth are tied off and they won't affect the nose when you cut them.

A friend in Connecticut sent me this photo of his Memorial Day picnic. Yes, that is a real bear.
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Jaden has sold! Interesting, Jaden had over 100 more hits on ebay than my last 3 auctions. Also about 15 more followers. Very unscientific experiment since all four were different characters, but there might be something to the theory of using a warm back ground in photos. I'm going to try, again, with my next auction and see if I have a similar result?

Ah, just beautiful 
Karen

Hello! All,
We were having a discussion on another forum about using colored backgrounds for photos. Someone mentioned that warm colored backgrounds have been proven to sell the best. I usually use either a gray or blue background color and I volunteered to try an auction using a warm colored back drop and see if it made a difference in my views or bids? Personally, I don't think it will make much difference to our collectors so long as the piece is visible and the background is not too messy or cluttered. I'll let everyone know if there is a difference. Here's the auction-
http://tinyurl.com/7skreca

I LoVe you Mommy!

Oh, wow! Groucho Marx has been reincarnated  :lol:

Wow! Are her legs really that loooong!

Sue Ann,
WOnderful! I'm going to borrow him for my next cougar piece 
Karen

Can't resist, had to post the latest. They are two months old (Love the big feet)~

Eldon is not large as wildcats go, but like his family he has a growl and snarl that make him seem much larger than his size. Bobcats are often mistaken for Mountain Lions because of their fierce growl. But like Eldon, Bobcats are really very shy.
Eldon has a 17" body with a 4" bobtail. He is created out of the finest quality Belgium faux fur. One of my favorite features of Eldon are his large paws, they are sculptured out of soft leather and have the feel of a real Bobcat's paw. He has a double jointed neck, armatured front legs, and loosely jointed hips making him very easy to pose.
http://tinyurl.com/6ndtkkn
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Beebs is a life size, 4 week old kitten. As with most Siamese breeds Beebs likes to talk
Details:
Beebs is created out of imported Belgium faux fur with mohair earliners. Beebs is needle sculptured(not needlefelted), has hand colored features, blue glass eyes set in handmade eye sockets, ultra suede mouth liner and tongue, and Beebs head is jointed and legs and tail have wire armatures for posing.
Beebs price is $300 ~and for the next 4 days Beebs can be purchased directly from me, karen@kjlyons.com
Shipping is free in the US~USPS Priority shipping/insured (Outside of the US please ask about a discounted shipping price)

Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Sue Ann,
No! This is a Mighty Hunter stalking his quarry in the African Veld  Kittens have great imaginations 
Karen

You are going to Love Maine    I come from NW CT and Maine is where many New Englanders hope to go when they retire. Just be open-minded and explore. It will be rough adjusting at times after being in the same place for all those years.
Karen