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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Back Road BearsOk, if someone asked you:
a)what the difference was between an artist bear and a manufactured bear and
b)why one should purchase an artist bear instead of a manufactured bear
What would you tell them?
Keep in mind a few manufacturers are using mohair, most make jointed bears, and now some are made in limited editions (of hundreds however.)
I need your best, honest answers!
Thank you!
Daphne
Apple Dumpling DesignsBecause...
that's what I tell my children!!!!
UKa)what the difference was between an artist bear and a manufactured bear
To me you can tell an artist bear from a manufactured bear. artist bears have individual looks about them,, Artist bears seem to be "alive" where manufactured bears to me look like they have been beaten into submission and had thier souls taken out LOL! 
My Aunt collects steiff bears and although they are great bears they seem to lack individuality that artist bears seem to posses
b)why one should purchase an artist bear instead of a manufactured bear
Because with an artist bear you are buying something truly unique. something made out of love not a mass produced "clone" bear ! With an artist bear to me you are buying something that no one else has (or very few people have) and as an artist of course i'm a bit biased but artist bears are still better ;)
a)what the difference was between an artist bear and a manufactured bear
Usually, one thinks of a manufactured bear as "mass-produced," meaning there are many examples of each model available for purchase. With "artist bears" one tends to think "one of a kind" or "(very) limited edition," so there is an exclusivity of product.
Also, the term manufactured implies "impersonal," and brings to mind images of factory workers in a giant warehouse, each one doing his or her part -- literally! Eyes, ears, nose, I mean.
When I think of artist bears, I imagine one single person (or her lone helper,) working very hard to bring a single artistic vision into reality, all by his or her lonesome. I think of attention to detail, personal focus, and perfectionism.
b)why one should purchase an artist bear instead of a manufactured bear
Because... like Shantell said, so helpfully. :D
No, just kidding. :)
Because a manufactured bear is so NOT art, just like a Xerox copy is so NOT art. Artist bears are attended to, shaped, designed, formed, finished, and created from one vision, by one person, with supreme attention to detail. In the end, that makes a quality, a sweetness, of product that you can't get from a manufactured bear.
They say, "Too many cooks spoil the soup" and in this case I'd have to agree. I've seen lots of cute manufactured bears by outstanding firms, but none of them has ever begun to hold a candle to even the most amateurish of artist bears, in my heart and mind anyway. There's just something you can see and touch and intuit in an artist bear that's simply not present in a manufactured bear. Some intangible thing that makes it special and unique. The customized placement of each little shading and feature, that you can see with your own eyes.
Anyway, that's my take on it, without enough coffee in me just yet to make good sense.
Past Time BearsThe soul of the artist that is present in his/her creation is missing in the manufactured bear.
Hey Sue Ann... that is a lovely, and very concise, summation of the difference between artist bears and manufactured bears. Bravo! I'm copying that down for future use. 
Posts: 1,153Each artist has a special look to their work...and many times they will design a different pattern, but it still has their 'look' . Manufactured bears have this huge gigundee cutter that comes down and goes thru a pile of fabric and cuts each piece the same, they are sewn each the same way, with no thought as to it being an individual. There is one thought in mind with manufactured bears....get it made and distributed to make money.
That to me is a science, a business venture.
Bears made by an individual are designed, cut out with precision, yes...but not the precision that the cutter does. Sewn together with a different mind set than the manufactured bears. We sew with love and desire to make this bear become an individual not a commodity.
So I would say that one is...ART and one is a COMMODITY.
The same as a home made cookie verses a Keebler cookie. Huge difference!!
Nanc........
Wild Thyme OriginalsThe same as a home made cookie verses a Keebler cookie. Huge difference!!
Nanc........
Hi Nanc.... not to change the subject, but I must firmly disagree with you on the whole Keebler thing... EVERYONE knows that Keebler cookies are made by red capped elves that live in a tree.... they are just busy little fellows! :P
Beary truly yours,
Kim basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Upstate New Yorka)
Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art.
~ Leonardo da Vinci
Italian draftsman, painter, sculptor, architect and engineer whose genius epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. 1452-1519
b)
The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament.
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German playwright, poet, novelist and dramatist. 1749-1832
ontario, canadaweel put Johann, Leonardo, Pablo......and Deb!!:)
Country BearsFor me it's
a) Everyone has one
and
b) Everyone wants one (by their favourite artist);)
Back Road BearsYou all are good!
I obviously have my own answers to the questions but wanted to hear yours.
I was thinking of doing up a brochure/flyer about "Why an Artist Bear?" or similar title that I'd have available at shows. No just what an artist bear IS but why it's special and preferred over a manufactured bear. It's on the thinking stages but I hope to have it in typed stages tomorrow as I've got a craft show on Saturday that I'd like to have the flyers for. It's at craft shows that new collectors are born, but they need to be educated first. If they've got something to take home with them it might help remind them of our art and perhaps they'd seek an artist bear the next time...
I'm happy to share the end result if any of you would like to print it for your own shows. I'll leave room for artist info..... stamp it, sticker it or write it in! I'm thinking it'll be either post card sized or more likely 1/3 of a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper so I can print it on brochure paper and easily cut it.
Anyway.... your input is so helpful in coming up with the right verbage. I won't quote any of you but will put all our ideas together to form an informative and convincing flyer for our cause!
Keep the ideas coming!!
Thank you!
Daphne
Country BearsDaphne - what a brilliant idea!!!
I used to ALWAYS want a Steiff - saved and 'got one', but like I said, so has everyone else, and the same one as I've got, it's not a ltd edition, but I do love him, don't get me wrong.
Since I hit the 'artist' world, wow my collection tastes have changed ENTIRELY!! I've got very selfish in the fact that I want the 'only one like that'!! Nobody else has one and it's so much more special!!
I also appreciate the work and time that goes into them like I wouldn't have done before.
One day, I'll own one OOAK by all of you, one day............................;)
Wild Thyme OriginalsYou know... there was a bear store in Medina, Ohio that was near the city I just moved from.. unfortunately it closed just a couple of months into my bear making career, so I never really got to make a habit of hanging out there or talking to the owner. Anyway, the first time I went in there, I was EXTREMELY unknowledgeable about mohair & artist bears at the time, I saw some of the prices on the artist bears and thought to myself... "GOOD GOD, WHY!!?" Then I looked above the display case where there was hung a framed paragraph that said "YOU PAID HOW MUCH!?" Then it said, "...The next time you tell someone how much you spent for your new artist bear friend... just let them now the following...."essentially, it went on to describe the mohair making process in brief, explained how much the mohair costs per yard for the artist to buy, then another brief paragraph describing the basic steps in bear artistry.... pattern design, mockup bear, cutting, sewing, picking seams, jointing.... etc, etc.... After reading that paragraph, I realized that many of the bears in the case were bargain priced! I was absolutely wowed! Maybe something similar to that might be appropriate? I don't know, but boy did I look at artist bears & mohair in general differently after that, so it worked on this potential customer! I always thought I'd buy an antique Steiff if I ever had enough money to purchase something on the pricey side!
I would be careful when wording your handout that you don't sound like you are putting down the manufactured teds... so many collectors have both, and if it were me I wouldn't want want to put off those folks, or sound like I'm telling them that they've spent their money poorly. The other thing I liked was the basic wording, like it was a justification that one could give to one's husband for best friend, as well as a quick education about the general gist of bear artistry rather than an in your face... "here's why my bear is best", or "Let me tell you why I expect you to dig deep into your pockets..." It was subtle, but like I said, it really worked on me and I was in that same position that many people are... interested in bears, but assuming that the most sought after and expensive & valuable kind would certainly be something Very old and Very Steiff!
Good luck with the flyer and with your show!!!!
Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Kiprie BearsHello Daphne!
You are clever girl of the month !! That is wonderful. :D
I think it's important to give out info about why and how (about Artist Bear)
for new costumer . Even I didn't know about Artist Bear until few years back....
May I copy your idea ? I would love to make something for my next year show. :cool:
Then, I still love Old Manufactured bear too. One old german bear name Happy is
my favored one and of cause I don't own him...
But Manufactured new bear is not so atractive to me anymore......
Maybe because I just can't falling love with them....... :redface:
Go Go Artist Bear ! ( oops, sorry Manufacture guys ! I still love you guys)
Bear Hugs/Marie
Everybody said it better than me ...
However, another interesting thing is that there are manufacturers out there that will often buy designs from artists...I think Deans showcased quite a few UK artists...and when they produced the limited editions they had nothing of the artist in them to speak of. They had what I call 'dead eyes'.
So Sue Ann hits it right on the head...artists bears have a spark of soul..a bit of magic that a person just producing them on an assembly line doesn't inject.
The other thing that happens is that these editions produced by the big companies often sell out quickly because people see them as an investment. I own up to having bought and sold the odd Steiff very quickly because he or she is a good investment.
When I buy a bear for me though....they do have to have soul
Jenny
Baird'sBears Great topic!
To my mind, a bear either speaks to me or it doesn't. I have a few manufactured animals that definitely speak, including some dear old Steiffs, but my favorite bear, a standing grizzly by K&M International, cost me $2 at the local Goodwill, new with tags and about 16" tall. I paid with such a huge grin that the cashier thought I was bonkers! There's something very appealing (to me) about the set of the eyes and ears, and the shape of the head and body.
Generally, though, I think that a manufactured bear takes years of loving to grow a soul and speak. The uninhibited imaginations of children speed the process, but for many adults, I'd guess that the antiques have far more appeal than the new Steiffs, however beautiful. An artist bear has soul when you buy it, and a new owner gives it more soul by loving it. That's a whole lotta soul!
I've read somewhere that manufactured bears have better resale value than artist bears, which is probably true. But I suspect there's a big difference between those who collect as an investment and those who collect for themselves. The investor wants something that others will want, and the other just wants.
I really like the idea of a brochure expaining the artist-bear process without putting down the manufactured bears.
Eileen
I just bought my first Steiff last Sunday and love him! He's a reproduction 1904 9" bear. I've looked at lots and lots of Steiffs... and yes, most of them just didn't speak to me. THIS one however... DID! The person who did his face did him perfectly! (for me) He's sitting next to the monitor as I type :D
I also collect some of the Deb Canham miniatures. (have a few Ganz Cottage Collectibles too) In fact.... Deb's bears were my first step from Boyd's to artist bears. If it weren't for Deb... I probably would never have made the jump to collecting artist bears.
In my opinion.... the manufactured bears are an excellent way for people to get into the hobby of collecting teddy bears! Many times, the longer a person collects bears, the more their tastes change and grow. That's how I made it from manufactured to artist. I NEVER would have gone right to artist bears. It took some time for me -- I did baby steps. I bought Boyd's first ($10 - $30) then saw the Deb Canham mini's and was awed ($60) from there it was a much shorter jump to artist bears.
I still collect Deb Canham bears -- just not as often. And I must see the actual bear I'm thinking of buying. Even though they are all the same edition... their faces can vary quite a bit (as you all know LOL!) In fact, I just bought a manufactured bear on eBay and the seller used the Ganz stock photo. I sent her an email to see if she could send me a photo of the actual bear.. which she did
Now... WHY do I seem to prefer artist bears for the most part? Because the artist is able to put so much more time into creating the face - to make him speak to you. How many of use spend almost as much time on the teddy's face as we do the whole rest of the bear? The manufactures just can't afford to do that.... And if the face doesn't "do it" for me... then the rest of the bear just doesn't matter...
Many artists also have a "way" they like to stuff bears. I know many of us like to stuff our bears very firmly and weight them to be heavy. (me too) Some prefer a more hugable stuffing. As a collector, that can be important too.... and part of why we get artist bears.
Quite frankly... as a collector (I was a collector b4 I was an artist) if the face speaks to me... I buy it - whether or not he's an artist bear. I just find that over time, as I've been collecting.... I'm now drawn to the artist bears over most manufactured bears.
And there's also that very special part of "adopting" a bear right from the artist, and talking with the artist. A while ago I had changed my website over to a "shopping cart" type of site. Recently though, I felt the need to change back. I did, and I also asked my bear collecting friends which way they preferred to see the bears I had for adoption. 100% of those who answered preferred my regular ol' web page, where they have to email me first to see if the bear was still available. No one liked the shopping cart site. I had one person email me to tell me that the shopping cart site was "too impersonal". She likes some personal contact with the artist when adopting a teddy bear.
Boy I'm SO glad I asked! (and I'll be saving some money too as I'm closing the "store" down at the beginning of the next billing cycle.:lol: )
Well, I seemed to have gone all over the place here in my post 
But I agree wtih Eileen... I would not want to put down manufactured bears. But I would want to educate people about artist bears....
Back Road BearsI never had any intention of putting bear manufacturers down.
But in order to really promote artist bears one has to be educated on why they are expensive, heirloom quality, works of art and worth every penny. It all seems to be coming down to the money these days.
So, my questions were just to help you come up with ideas about artist bears that make them unique from 'the rest'. The word 'manufactured' will not be in my brochure.... at least not in the negative.
For the record, I own over 100 manufactured bears (had to cut my collection down a couple of years ago) over 50 of which are Boyds Bears and I just bought another one last week. My favorite bear of all time is the original white "Schlepp" bear by Gund. I have nothing against manufactured bears.... though there is one manufacturer, here in my neck of the woods even, who makes the most soul-less, mass produced looking bears I've ever met. If they didn't give them all costumes and themes and ship them in novelty boxes I don't think they'd ever sell a one!! That's all the bashing I will do on the topic of manufactured bears! :twisted:
:redface: Sorry Daphne! Didn't mean t imply that you were bashing manufactured bears.... (and thanks Intercal for the embarrassed smiley!)
I guess one thing to include in a brochure that educates people about artist bears is something like....
Many hours are put into creating an "artist teddy bear". The bear has to look and feel "just right" to the artist before they will offer their creation up for adoption.
First, did you know... teddy bear artists do not buy patterns to make their bears? They design and draw their own patterns. Second, the artist chooses the particular fur for this one bear. Then they draw their pattern, and even decide which type of joints will be "just right" for this particular bear. The artist often puts as much time into creating the face as they do the rest of the bear -- to make him speak to you. .........................
Something like that... there's more that should go with it... but that's all I can come up with now.... (I'll be using part of that in my brochure... thanks Daphne for making me think!!
Back Road BearsLaura,
Our timing was off.... I wrote my last before you submitted yours..... I was not directing my post to you at all.... just wanted to be sure others who have voiced their concerns understood my intentions. :redface:
You have so many wonderful ideas and suggestions. Thank you, thank you! Off to go reread your posts and absorb some more!
Hugs, Daphne
Wild Thyme OriginalsHi Daphne!!! I think we are all applauding you for this undertaking. I think that collectively (I know I was) many of us were just saying tread carefully with your wording.... Not that you'd intentionally put down the manufactured types....
I guess I'm saying that the carefully worded paragraphs I read were enough to make a "convert" out of me, certainly enough to rouse my interest in this fascinating pursuit we call artist bears. I think that you are right on target! I know that in the doll artist world there are many folks who place such educational phamphlets on their tables..... there are actually societies that further education concerning doll art.... The artist teds deserve their time in the sun too, and I for one applaud your efforts wholeheartedly! :D
Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Baird'sBears:redface: Me too, sorry if I suggested you were ManuBashing, Daphne!
I think the comparison is implicit, though, in any discussion of artist bears.
Since most people know only of the manufactured kind, it might not occur to them that there's anything special about the pattern, or the fur, or the jointing, or the stuffing, or the eyes, etc. etc.
I've been showing some of my bears-in-progress to my students when they come over. One boy said, "Oh, that looks very delicate", whereupon I zinged it to him across the room--no damage to the bear, though I nearly knocked his glasses off :redface:
These kids have had teddy bears, but can't get over the difference ("Hey, the head moves!!"), the weight, the silkiness of mohair or real fur.
Too bad they're all impoverished students! Just doing my bit to convert the next generation . . . one actually borrowed Jennifer Laing's book.
Eileen
Kim-Bee Bears
I didnt even know that there was such a thing as a "bear artist" until one day i tread into Ebay and noticed all these wondeful bears! I have to admit, the first one that caught my eye was Kim's Rhaine (Kim, hope you dont mind me posting her )
I was in awe of her bear and acutally she was the one who inspired me to make artist bears - This is probably news to her because I havent told her!!!
Kim-If I become famous, I'll owe you one! LOL
Past Time BearsWonderful bear, Kim! And so glad it inspired you to join the family of bearmakers, Kim! Wow, so many Kims!
