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The featured artist
for the month of October is Ginger Heimbuck from California
in the US.
 Ginger
Heimbuck, from watercolorist to bluegrass musician, graphic arts
career, and onward to motherhood, Ginger fearfully cut into her
first 1/8 yard of 'real' mohair in 1996. Upon that first snip, Ginger
discovered the magical art of sewing fine teddy bears. Soon after,
Ginger began creating original bears by drawing her own patterns
and combining textures, colors and accessories to achieve her rendition
of the 'perfect bear' : with beauty of limb form, facial expression,
and endearing bear-sonality.
"Teddy bears are wonderful reminders for all of us to have
soft edges, become easy to love, and always ready for a hug,...
just like little children and well-worn tedders."
G. Heimbuck. Ginger on The Business
of Bears
Somewhere between the artist's vision (where every bear has already
come to life in the artist's mind and making the bear is just
a matter of working out the details), and a place where the artist
and collector cross paths, is the world of the teddy bear business.
This world may be full of delightful shops. This world may be
colorful pages to be turned and photographs to be held. Sometimes
the world is an event called a 'Show' where a myriad of artists
and collectors meet. And sometimes, the world is as small as a
computer and as near as a telephone. There are many avenues to
journey in the teddy bear business. The best roads have the signposts
which read 'works of excellence' and 'artistic endurance'.
As I was told at the beginning, "You must truly love making
the bears, for the true artist bear is formed by the heart."
This I have found to be so.
The Bears
The Bears of Tannenbaum Woods are designed, created and made
solely by the artist, Ginger Heimbuck. The bears are fully jointed,
fine collectibles made of imported mohair from England and Germany,
with pawpads of soft suede or meriono wool. Some include the authentic
old-style German tilt growlers, black glass or vintage shoe button
eyes, and have pellet-filled tummies. The bears are a combination
of hand and machine sewing. Ginger's bears range in size from
8 inches to 21 inches, and in price from $80 to $500.
Three collections of original bears at Tannenbaum Woods, each with
unique features:
'The Ragbears'
are everyday friends, 18 ½ inches large, hefty bears complete
with special artist-made outfits, or have accessories such as
handmade quilts and mobcaps. "Having only one teddy bear
as a child, which my sister and I shared, my 'Ragbears' are huggable
teddy bears I dreamed of having someday for my own as a grown-up
child." Ragbears: 'Abby', 'Setha', 'Gadie' (pronounced 'HAW-dee'),
'Tuppence', 'Corkie', 'Sandy' and 'Irene'.
'The Studio Classic' bears
are traditional tedders, inspired from the turn-of-the-century
Steiff teddies (1903-1905) firmly stuffed, with back humps, elongated
arms and pawpads, old-style tilt growlers, black shoebutton eyes
and excelsior cores. 'Everette', 'Joely', 'Gabbey', 'Rufus, 'Gillian'.
'Once upon a Blue Moon' bears
are the newest collection, a whimsical look at the many faceted
moods of an artist, personified by these bears who have their
own special 'tilted' verse of the titled poem, 'Once upon a Blue
Moon' . Inspired by a time when the most incredible things do
happen, 'upside down walks right upstairs, and rose-coloured glasses
come in pairs'! The eight bears in the collection are available
in two sizes, full and baby. Blue 'Bandicoot', 'Pottaroo' the
author, 'Jubjub' with trike, 'Tulgey' the forest sprite, 'Gussy'
of mistletoe red, 'Ney Ney' with tugger-boat friend, 'Cupper'
full of spice and delight. 'Tedder' to debut for Christmas 1999.
The Woods
The Bears of Tannenbaum Woods Studio is located in the delightful
Victorian Village of Ferndale, California set amidst the picturesque
scenery of the redwood coast.
The Bears of Tannenbaum Woods are available on the Den shop under
the category of Complete Bears or Artist - Ginger Heimbuck. You
can also visit Ginger's website at http://www.the-bears.com,
and select fine consignment shops in No. California, Oregon, and
Colorado.
The bears are fine collectibles, and include: embossed hang tags,
Certificate of Limited Edition or Bear Birth Record, signed and/or
no.'d by the artist.
You can view or buy some of Ginger's bear in our Shop!
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