Presenting, for the Teddy Bear Artist Invitational 2006 "Salute to Sleuths"... 

Wow!  I showed at TBAI!  This was an incredible thrill because, to me, this show is the "Disney" of Teddy shows, the best of the best!  I was first introduced to the magic in 1997 when my folks and I made the 700+km drive from Montreal to Binghamton to attend the show.  We were all dazzled, I added a beautiful assortment of critters to my collection and secretly hoped that one day I would be established enough to show my own creations there.   In 1999 and 2003 I was back again as a collector.

But in 2006 it was all different!  I went as an artist!

In November I received news from Chair-bear Cindy Malchoff that I was invited to participate and my gallery challenge, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was also accepted!!   

Of course, after the initial excitement and celebrating came the fear!  Now what!?  I had to create an amazing piece that would challenge my abilities and impress seasoned collectors!  Oh boy!!  Oh shit!!  I knew all too well what kind of talent would be on display and was incredibly honored to be considered at par with these much admired artists!  

So, I got to work!  I already had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted my Buffy piece to look like:  a feminine bear, totally relaxed and self-confident holding in one hand (by the throat of course) a horrible, terrifying demon, in the other hand a wooden stake.  Why Buffy the Vampire Slayer?  If you've never heard of the TV program, click here.  In every episode Buffy and her friends solved a mystery of sorts, like who's eating the hearts out of the co-eds or why are the members of the swim team turning into fish-men?  This was a perfect fit for me as I obviously lean towards the dark side but like to keep it fun! 

I began to gather materials.  I found a great Buffy wig at a doll show.  When Hallowe'en arrived, I got my hands on Hallmark's "Spell Book Candy Container" (thanks again Sarah!) which I thought would make an amazing base.  Then came the fabrics...

    We were all dazzled

For Buffy, Schulte mohair in a cream color with pale pink ultrasuede paw pads.  A blonde wig of course and eyelashes with beautiful green glass eyes.  For the demon, black Venus Suede and red Duppioni Silk!  Red/black/white marbles for eyes and faux red/black fur for accent.   

Then I let the ideas brew over the winter Holidays...

To follow Buffy's creation, click here!

(If you'd rather skip to the finished creation, click here.)

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