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Bear makers and teddy artists are always welcome to contact us for a portrait. We're looking forward
to hearing from you.
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Ingrid, please describe your bears in your own words.
I describe my style as "miniature dressed bears and their friends, each one with their own personality". I like to see each of my bears have its own personality and for them to be special. I create one-of-a-kinds and sometimes offer limited edition bears.
When did you start making them and what was the occasion?
I admit that I always loved needlework and made clothes until the teddy bug bit me in 1999. I decided to make a few teddies for the craft market, in Hermanus. I initially thought of it as a hobby and intended making bears that a grandmother could buy for her grandchild and which would then become heirloom pieces. My bears, however, were very popular and I resigned from my job managing the debt collecting section at an attorney's office to take up bear-making full time in February 2000. By the end of the year I could see that my miniatures were getting the most attention and together with the fact that mohair was so scarce, I decided to shift my focus to the little ones as they where much more fun to make. I only started selling my bears international since April 2001 via my website and it was very interesting to attend a bear show in Wiesbaden, Germany and also Hugglets, London.
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Do you recollect the first teddy you made?
My first teddy was a large, dressed bear, without joints, more like a soft toy. It was a pattern for soft toys and artist bears where unknown to me, at that time.
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How do you get ideas or inspiration for new creations?
There are many things that give me satisfaction and which inspire me in bear making. The bears themselves, specially when creating the unique little face, are a great source of inspiration, "Sometimes letting them go is the most difficult thing to do"!! The positive feedback, compliments and recognition that a bear artist receives by creating her own designs and ideas are also a great inspiration to make bears.
What do like best when making bears?
I've already made more than 2000 bears since I started and what I love the most is to sculpt and create the little faces. Only after seeing the expression on the bear's face, I can decide if it's going to be a boy or a girl.
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Do you still have any wild dreams regarding the bear making?
To be internationally recognized as a bear artist who put a lot of love and attention to her bears and that I will be able to keep on making bears.
Do you think there is a perfect teddy bear?
No, I don't think you'll ever find or make a perfect teddy bear. One always tries to make that perfect bear.
Which sizes and materials do you prefer?
My bears range between 3cm and 6,5cm, made with vintage Upholstery Velvet and different mini fabrics.
Do you have a favourite bear?
Besides my husband :0) Yes I do have a favorite bear in my collection, made by Dalila from Piccolo Bears in Germany.
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Please tell us something about the place where you live. What's your place of birth?
I was born in Stellenbosch and raised in Windhoek in the former South West Africa .
For the past 10 years I've been living in a coastal town Hermanus, in the Western Cape.
Hermanus is very popular for it's whale watching and for more info, you are welcome to visit the website
www.hermanus.co.za
Please tell us something about the teddy bear scene in South Africa
Teddytech is the sole distributor of Schulte Mohair in Africa www.teddytech.biz.
LouBear Mohair is the only Mohair Plush Weaving company in South Africa www.loubear.com.
You are also welcome to visit the South African Bears website where you will find some of the finest bear artist's profiles and websites.
www.sabears.homestead.com
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The only show that I know of in the Western Cape is held on the 1st of May at Buitenverwacht, near Contantia, Cape Town.
Other bear shows are held at a regular basis in Durban and Johannesburg.
Do you think that your bears are influenced by your place of residence/country or would they look the same if you lived elsewhere?
My bears are not influenced by my country and would look the same if I lived elsewhere.
See Ingrid's creations at: http://ingebears.homestead.com
Copyright: Ingrid Els
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