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I was just reading an older post (which I somehow missed) in which Aleta mentioned how fun it would be do to a collaboration sometime, as she imagineered a pointy hat and felt collar on one of my bears. This is something I've thought about for a long time as a really fun way to blend two (or more) artistic "visions" into one exciting, totally original teddy bear piece.
I wondered what you all think of collaborations --- ???
Have you ever done one?
If you have, how did you approach the distribution -- selling, gifting -- of the finished product? In short, who got what? Did you split proceeds? If so, how?
How do your collectors respond to collaborations?
How would YOU respond to a collaboration piece? Would it be more, or less, desirable to you? Or would that desirability depend on which artists, exactly, were doing the collaborating?
Am I just asking too many impossible questions?
Who invented liquid soap, and why?
:)
PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.
Thank you!
Pandy Potter Bears
As a non collector (thats alot of help 
) I think it sounds good. Sort of the best of two worlds coming together. I think it would be very collectable. How it works out/shared/profits thats a hard one. I also think if you came from an advertising kind of way it would reap many benefits. Sounds very interesting and could be a winner. Tell more!
Pumpkin & Pickle BearsWow, certainly sounds interesting! I think it's a great idea.
I want to clarify that I'm not just inquiring for my own purposes, or about a collaboration that Aleta mused about doing with me, but rather, just want to find out your opinions generally about collaborations, so this thread can become not just helpful to me, but a resource to the board.
Does anybody know of any collaborative pieces that have been done in the bear world, to date?
Posts: 8,574Liquid Soap
William Shepphard first patented liquid soap on August 22, 1865. In 1980, the Minnetonka Corporation introduced the first modern liquid soap called SOFT SOAP brand liquid soap. Minnetonka cornered the liquid soap market by buying up the entire supply of the plastic pumps needed for the liquid soap dispensers. In 1987, the Colgate Company acquired the liquid soap business from Minnetonka.
Posts: 8,574HA!, Dilu.
I think a golly/teddy collaboration would be darling. Even a teddy/dolly collaboration. I have a lot of ideas in my head along these lines. Along with a long of total junk I've been collecting for 40+ years.
Delartful BearsHi Shelli,
I think Collaborations are a very cool idea. I have often wondered how the $$ would be split up. I've often thought that it would be great if my sister & I could do a collaboration together. We just need to work out the fine details together.
I think they are a great idea - as long as both artists get represented fairly. I have seen auctions in the past where either one item gets totally overlooked and only briefly mentioned. When the collaboration is of two siimilar values I think they both need the limelight.
I think if the fine details can be nutted out between the two artists then it's a great idea, and a fantastic way to have exposure - especially in two different art forms!
Danni
Back Road BearsI've seen many non-bear collaberations done in the art world by members of the artisan league I belong to. There was an auction for such pieces a few years ago. There was a lot of publicity and a number of pieces that went for a LOT of money due to WHO the artists were more than the piece itself.
I also know of a collaberation between a bear artist and a wood craftsmen. The wood worker made a toy horse for the bear to sit on. This woodworker is a local legend, the bear artists not so well known but together the piece was quite a hit and was auctioned off for a very fair amount!
I think a collaberation by two bear artists could be very interesting and also draw a lot of attention if the artists are well known. But how the money is divied up is beyond me! The instances above were all donations for a fundraising event.
I'd imagine that each artist in the collaberation will be able to set a dollar amount to the work they've done. So, if the piece is sold at a set price equally the amount each artists has put to their work, the artists each then take their share of the selling price.
If the item is acutioned on eBay then a reserve might be set to cover the value each artist puts to the work they've done. Then if the item sells for more in the end perhaps the artists split the difference equally.
Just thinking out loud here I guess.
As for advertising/publicity..... that should be discussed and agreed upon between the two artists prior to starting anything. In fact, all of the financial, advertising, etc. details should be discussed and agreed upon prior to the start of the project. There should probably be a simple contact done up and signed covering all the bases. It's only to keep everything on the up and up so there are no hurt feelings or falling outs and or misunderstandings.
Sounds like a fun adventure once all the not-so-fun details are ironed out! I'd love to do something like this one day!!
Donna's Duin BruinsWhere is John Port when you need him? I would guess that John knows several artists that do collaborations. I know many of the old timers (the ones in the business for around 20 years or more) have done them. I know that Joan Woessner and Steve Schutt do it. I don't have a clue as to how they work out the details. There have been some collaborations with our group. It pretty much comes down to what each person wants for their part of the collaboration and then a price gets worked out from there.
Donna
Tuppies TeddiesToby, I have done something the same as you. My 91 Mother-in-law has knitted lots of jumpers and cardigans for my bears, it gives her something to think about, and she loves to knit.
Sadly, she has just been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease. Her speech has all but gone, and she has difficulty swallowing, however with this disease the mind is fine but the rest of the muscles in the body gradually shut down.
While she can she is keeping up the knitting.
Not looking forward to the next 12 months because we know it is a downhill slide for her and we can't stop it.
At the risk of being controversial I have to say that I would not like any kind of collaboration that infringed on my creativity. I can't stand any kind of commission so it might feel like that..to me at any rate.
I would definitely feel like part of my imagination was being taken away and replaced with someone elses..and as I am a complete control freak I'd be an absolute nightmare to work with anyway.
My mother and her good friend do some knitting for me..and they make an occasional outfit for the bears but I buy the wool/fabric and make/design the patterns pretty much ( apart from the knit-wear , as I haven't any desire to start knitting again , yet!! )I just say what I need them to make and they very cleverly make it!! So that's a collaboration I guess!! I just pay for what they do for me as I go along.
I think it depends on the collaboration..I would not like to have any input into my actual bears...but little accessories...or furniture...maybe jewellery might work.
I don't know how you'd charge for it ..you'd have to charge as if they were separate pieces I suspect.
The danger here is that while it may be mutually beneficial to both artists..it could be mutually destructive as it might appear to customers that they are having another persons work foisted upon them.
Tricky one! I like the concept but don't know if I'd like the process. I have worked closely with my sister in past years and even that could sometimes be a delicate process of setting creative impulses to one side, in favour of a harmonious outcome overall. Not easy!
MerBear OriginalsOur local teddybear group does several collaborations each year. One does the head- another arms, legs, body, etc. The bears are then put together at one of our meetings. The cost of supplies comes out of our dues and the bears are donated to charity auctions or to another good cause. :clap:
Marion
Jane Perala Designs Ltd.I'm not sure how I feel about the concept. I guess it would depend on the two (or more) artists involved, and how they approached it. As a collector (which I am not) I think it would be alright.
However I had thought one year about approaching a mini artist to make me a little devil mini and a little angel mini to put on the shoulders of a larger bear that I would make. He would have a christmas present in his lap, and the minis would be competing with each other to see if they could make him open the present or save it until Christmas Day - it was going to be called "Decisions" or something like that - of course, I never did get around to doing it! ha ha!
Jane P.
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsI have seen vignettes which are collaborations which were auctioned for charity. It was successful, I think because each artist was able to contribute a whole bear to the piece rather than someone working on the body while another did the face. Also the fact that the bears were donated to a charity auction puts a whole different spin on it. The whole thing comes in the spirit of giving. I recently collaborated with a doll artist in my guild to make a Santa for a raffle. I sculpted and painted the head, and made the body. The other artist dressed and accessorised him. It worked because I knew I'd have to let go of some of the control. I was completely surprised when I saw the finished Santa. Not at all like I would have done myself ---I was thinking Victorian Father Christmas---she was thinking "Golfer/Woodland Santa" 
But It was for the guild....
I really enjoyed collaborating with my sister-in-law on Santas we make as gifts for our family. She and I share a more similar vision of Santa!
It is a different story if the piece is going to be for sale. I took a sculpting class from well known a doll sculptor. I had brought some bears in one of the days to show him. He was very complementary, saying they were the nicest bears he'd ever seen. He thought it would be a neat idea to make a bear with a sculpted clay face and mohair body and talked about a collaboration. He would sculpt the face, and I would make the body. I only half jokingly said, "but then you get to do the fun part". He basically said then that it was because he was famous and I was not (not in those exact words). I thought, "Hmmmm. Famous for dolls perhaps, but I bet more bear collectors would know my name than his!" So there are our fragile artist egos involved as well here.
So I guess it can work and be a wonderful experience depending on the circumstances!
fribbles, ltd.Shelli, I've done a couple of collaborations---the most successful have been the Fairy Blossom collaborations, which are actually three artists collaborating [me making teddies/Furry Friends, Eileen Sterbach of www.intrepid-creations.com sculpting the faeries and Jenifer Burns sewing the clothing].
..Jewel & Pearl:
..Punkin & her teddy:
Fritz and his puppy:
..a pink-haired darling wif her kitty:
..the latest little boy and his bear:
..and I also did a collaboration with an artist who makes little woodland bases to display bears and faeries:
http://www.ifribble.com/eBay/Collaborat … ions/7.jpg
Generally the way I handled the collaboration is that the artists collaborating figured out what they wanted for their creation, and then started the auction out at that dollar amount. Anything that was above what each of the artist asked for initially was split down the middle. On the three-way collaboration, we each received a set price for what we contributed, and then it was split 4 ways [because the sculptor had gotten the least and done the most work] and the sculptor got 50% and the other two got 25% each.
Don't know if that helps but it always worked for me! Collaborations are fun, one can do things in the collaboration that, while it could work on its own, only benefits from the added elements of other artists.
And, Aleta, w00t! What a GREAT idea! I would love to see that put into physical being---post photos when it's done!! =)
Amelia
Flying Fur StudiosI personall could never do a collaboration, and I have never noticed collaborations to fetch a higher price, or even what they are worth. At least that's what I've seen.
But Amelia those are soo cute! I love those dolls and your bears are perfect! Soo tiny and cute. maybe you helped change my mind a bit,
Kingfisher Farm Teddies and Folk ArtI recently did one with Peng Peng, and I learned a lot! We did sell the piece to a devoted collector. Pam
www.kingfisherfarm.net
Bine-TeddiesI think I've seen Berta Hesen-Minten and Bobbie Ripperger collaborate on a bear and sell their piece on ebay. Berta and Bobbie, where are you?
Posts: 1,836I was poking around on a few of my favorite artists sites and saw the Peng Peng - Kingfisher Farm Teddies collaboration and remembered this post. I wasn't sure if this particular collaboration was mentioned, glad to see it was!! I really loved the way it all came together Pam. How you both tied in the fabrics, Mohair, display box.....I really really liked the piece (your ellie was too cute). If I read correctly you were both at a show together, table neighbors....must have been fun for collectors to meet you both with the piece.
:hug:
~Chrissi
Mohair CircusI'm new here but I'm just gonna jump in :)
I started a business making dolls and have only recently started making teddies. My BF and I both made dolls and we OFTEN collaberated on designs (we live 8 hours apart, so we would trade pictures and pattern pieces via email and fax.) and I thought it had lots of PROS!
First, it kept us on our toes... it was so inspiring to see what each other did. So I might design the doll, and then her the clothes, or the face, and we would both contribute that way. And it would often lead to many more designs based on the ideas we generated from the first one.
We turned the designs into patterns, and then we both put the patterns on our website and whoever sold it kept it. We figured it would all just come out in the wash. The dolls we made we mostly couldn't part with... so no money issue there... LOL!
Our collectors loved it, because we used to share a booth and they would come in and want something from both of us, and this was a way to get it and only buy one item (Good for them, bad for us! LOL!)
We don't really think anyone in the doll world really "got" that we were just very inspirational to each other and this was a creative outlet for us... but we didn't really care either! It was just fun!
We've stopped doing shows because they just stopped being lucrative after dealing with travel expenses and all, and I personally stopped making dolls because I got very jaded by the imports and related issues. I started making bears after happening on a bear show, and finding pink mohair... I didn't even know they made it, and now I'm hooked. So since then we've been talking about making a doll bear combo! So who knows! Maybe! :)
Wow... that was long... did I put you to sleep! LOL!
I'll just add in a couple of comments to this thread too. I have done a couple of collaborations (see pictures below) and they worked out rather nicely. The bear was done by another artist (Marianne Alexander) and I did the detailed outfits. I have just completed another outfit for her for another bear as well.
Here are pictures of the ones we have done so far. As I said she did the bear and I did the clothing:
Lady Victoria
Lady Millicent
I find the collaborations fun and a nice break from the 'routine' and enjoy them quite a bit.
/bearhugs,
Beautiful!
Cleathero Creationsjust gorgeous really just gorgeous!
