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K P BearThis is a very interesting topic. I know I am new here but I will put my comments in any how. Hope noone minds. I would not like to have some one finish a bear off for me or do some things to a bear together. But to put a bear and a other article together would be ok. I like the idea of the bear and the dress. But again payment and adevertising and how to cost and pay it all.? But very interesting and I now have some ideas floating around in the back of my head.
Thank you.
Lena 
Cleathero CreationsLena your thoughts are always welcome :hug:
I would think thought that a true callaboration on a bear would be difficult to do. Not just offering clothes and accessories and things. I think it would be a real challenge to allow someone else to help woth your dream BUT if they have a skill that may just be exactly what it needs ( a special way of doing paws, a touch to the eye) it could be beneficial.
But for a half and half bear I honestly don't think I would be able to.
I have nothing against them though.
Hi Shelli,
Really interesting topic! I have been involved in a couple of collaborations in the past and, when they work well I think a piece becomes something greater than the sum of all it's parts 
Unfortunately, both events happened years ago and I no longer have pictures BUt they were huge fun, a great learning curve, and helped springboard my own work into new areas:
The first one was a two bear piece I made with Cotswold Bears - it was called 'Spirit of the Bear' and had an open-mouthed bear made by me, dressed as a Native American, and rearing up behind it was a realistic bear made by the Cotswolders. The final addition was a special poem composed by my husband, which went with it. We got a lot of magazine coverage out of it and the piece was bought by a private collector.
The second piece was SUCH fun!! I teamed up with a doll maker friend to make a piece called 'Little Vamp and Vincent'. Jill had the idea she wanted to make a vampire child, but not do anything dumb and obvious like give it fangs dripping blood. So we came up with the idea for a ghostly-looking child holding hands with a bear which would be somewhere between cuddly teddy bear and a realistic bear with teeth (so yup, Vincent got the fangs!). My main problem was how to make the paw so it would look like they were properly holding hands - in the end I gave him individualy articulated claws and they looked pretty convincing. Jill took the piece to a show in New York and again, it was sold to a private collector.
If you are going to do this I think you have to think carefully and find someone whose style really complements yours - both talents have to be equally strong and recognizable, and you both have to work hard to make the finished bear/s or vignette, whatever, look like all the pieces are meant to belong together - not just two bears which happen to be standing next to each other 
Hugs,
Chris
Great advice, Christine; I really wish you had photos of those pieces since you're really piqued my curiosity with your description of them. <drat> I am always drawn back to my corporate-workplace roots whenver I cogitate on a new idea (I spent some time temping while trying to find my calling, teaching, which apparently isn't really my calling at all, and I worked in a lot of supremely high-level corporate environments in San Francisco during that time) ... and it occurs to me that if enough artists culled their talents into a small handful of collaborations, it might make a really interesting editorial for some magazine or other. So not only does the artistic challenge of it appeal to me, but also the idea of introducing something old-but-not-currently-"big" to the mix again, and getting coverage for the participating artists out of it... whether I'm one of them or not.
It occurs to me, too, that since dolls continue to be very hot, the mix of doll and bear might be really interesting, like you described, Chris, and Amelia as well, with her sweet photos.
Still thinking on this one...
... thanks to everyone for your ideas and input.
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I have one other idea to ask about. It's related, but different. Here it is:
*** How would you feel about participating in a round robin re-do collaboration? I'm just talking off the top of my head here... but I'm thinking along the lines of the doll repaints and recostuming that I see all the time on eBay.
What if we bearmakers did something similar?
What if, say, fifteen manufactured teddies were purchased (they wouldn't even necessarily have to be the same fifteen teddies, although the results would be more dramatic if they were.) Let's say a buy-in of $20 was set so that all participants spent the same amount. One person could buy and ship all teddies, or we could buy our own teddies, or order them from a website (probably the best idea) for home delivery, or we could buy DIFFERENT teddies at an under $20 price (or however we decide it; lots to discuss here.)
The teddies would have to be 10-20" tall; or whatever parameters we set for size.
The purchasing, or "first", artist to get ahold of the teddy could (a) chose ONE area to focus on -- facial makeover, costuming, accessories, addition of an armature, etc. -- OR (b) we could "assign" the facial redo to the purchasing artist; the costume to the second artist; the accessories to the third; etc. However it gets sliced up, the idea would be that many artists would work on this ONE piece.
The piece would be passed on from artist to artist until the bear had been passed through five sets of hands -- ten sets of hands? -- and was "finished."
We'd then post results, preferably BEFORE and AFTER.
Would anybody be interested in participating in something of this kind?
Just curious...
Please let me know your thoughts.
Cleathero CreationsOh that sounds fabulous!!!
I would really love to participate in something like that!
Posts: 1,836Redo Collaboration sounds really cool. A light colored bear would be good if you wanted an airbrushing category (not me...I've never done..asking for an instructional DVD for Christmas though!!)
:hug:
~Chrissi
BrisbaneSounds like fun Shelli....
K P BearSounds like a fun idea. I could be interested.
Lena 
fribbles, ltd.I would!! Can we accessorize with a mini friend? 'stead of finishing off the bear? I've never tried anything above 5", so working on a bigger bear wouldn't really be something I'd be trying with a round robin sort of thing [might bugger it up!], plus I don't have any material or eyes or nose or anything that's suitable for a big bear..
However, I did get a piece of mohair from Jane that I hope to take with me to Washington for Christmas and mayhap get a BIG bear made [over 9"]!!
A tatty teddy would be fun to change, since they're so cute anyways! Would love to see Judi airbrush one!
Amelia
Jare Hares & BearsThe only collaboration that I have ever done is with my mother. Once the piece sold she would pay my for the piece that I created. Most of the accessories she would buy. So the only fair thing to do was to pay me for the piece that I would make and then she would keep the rest.
If I were to do a collaboration with someone else I would buy the piece from them outright. Then whatever the collaboration piece sells for is my business. That is about the only fair way that I can think to do it.
For example:
Shelli and Jared decide to make a Spring piece with two bunnies.
Shelli makes bunny A and Jared makes Bunny B.
Jared buys bunny A from Shelli for her fair market price.
Jared completes bunny B.
Jared then creates the collaboration set with both Bunny A and Bunny B.
Jared decides the final selling price based on Bunny A's price, Bunny B's price, and the efforts put into the creation of the set (i.e. accessories, etc.). Jared decides to set the selling price at $1000.00 and that money will go back to Jared, as he has already paid Shelli for her Bunny A.
This is the only way that makes sense to me.
Unless you are creating a piece for charity. Then each party after crystal clear communication creates their piece. And then decide how to work together to create the final product.
Just my thoughts.
I've done one collaboration with noted doll artist, Christine Crocker. I asked her if she would make a doll for one of my bears and gave her complete artistic freedom. I told her I would design my bear around her doll. The only requirement was that the doll was able to sit in the arms of one of my bears. I did not ask her to wholesale or discount the price of one of her dolls and I paid her upfront.
The doll I received was more than I'd hoped for. The doll had a slightly exotic asian look to her face. That allowed me a little more creativity in designing the style of my own bear. It was a rewarding collaboration.....literally. I won Best of Show for this pair.
I have long been interested in doing a complete bear collaboration..... I have yet to find a group willing to give freely of their time and the expense of doing the piece though. Then again, what to do with the piece when it's all done and through? A charity auction would be lovely. I realize I'm in a better position than most when it comes to giving my time and materials freely, so please, don't take what I'm saying personally.
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
fribbles, ltd....that would be so much fun! Think of it, perhaps next year's Lemonade Stand bears could be collaborations?
Aleta, that collaboration is sheer heaven---absolutely BEAUTIFUL pair, just gorgeous!
Amelia
