Bears-Direct - Teddy Bear Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight
Ginger Brame
The Piece Parade

by Jackie Morris

Ginger brame is a veteran bear artist of 15 years. She describes her creations as whimsical, thoughtful, traditional/ contemporary, winsome take-along bears (and some for display). She makes bears in a size range of about 3ľ to 14inches.

I asked her, "What makes your bears different from others who make bears of a similar style?"

"I don't think I set out to make bears that were intentionally different from someone else's," Ginger says. "When I began,

the goal was to make a bear someone would be charmed by – one that I myself would like to have ...maybe one I would choose if I were shopping for a bear.

"Along the way, I made some mistakes, refined my designs, learned some new techniques, trial and error and error and error. Some might think fifteen years would be plenty of time to perfect a technique or style, but I find myself learning new things all the time and forever changing and fixing my designs...even if it's just a little.

"I think most artists are continually in search of the 'perfect' piece and thankfully, it always seems to be just out of our reach. I think that's the challenge and why it is still a compelling adventure for me," she said.

"Then when people began to say they would know my bears anywhere, or they could pick them out of a crowd, I started to realize that perhaps my bears had begun to have a thread of similarity running through all of them.

"Was it the eyes? Was it the placement of the ears? The nose? Whatever it was, it was the result of creating a design that was a combination of elements that appealed to me. What

makes them different? I guess the fact that I made them? I don't know."

I asked her, what is your "inspiration" when you come up with a new design?

"This is an idea that I like to ponder...where do ideas come from?" she replied. "What gets an artist moving and excited about a new design?

"My ideas come from just about anywhere. Sometimes from an event, an image I have seen somewhere, a combination of words, nostalgia...something from my childhood. The list is truly endless. The more ideas you get, the more you have.

"I like doing different things, new things. Sometimes I have told myself "never again" to a piece of fur or a certain unsuccessful design, only to re-visit it later and discover something different the second time around."

What other hobbies, interests, or jobs have you had, and in what ways have they influenced your work, I asked.

"I graduated with a degree in graphic design," Ginger replied. "I worked as a designer for two years. I've tried lots and lots of different things...quilting was the most intensive and I sold quilts and bears together when I first started. I've also made baskets, painted, cross-stitched, all that stuff you try just to see if it's for you or not. I love to read and read and read."

Did you collect bears or anything else before you started making collectible Teddy Bears? If so, has this influenced the design of your bears?

"Now that you have made me think about it, nostalgia has always been a big part. A great childhood memory or family times, or things people associate with joy and fun...the State fair, a cuddly teddy, friends, laughter. I guess I collect memories and sometimes they do work their way into my teddies."

Are your bears much different now than they were when you first started making them? How have they changed?

"Most definitely! When I first started making bears, the goal (besides making something

that people might be interested in) was to have some consistency," Ginger said. "But I was still learning as I went and I didn't know many of the techniques that are so common place now.

"I didn't use glass eyes to begin with and my stuffing method was still in process. It was a couple of years before I had even discovered mohair. So there is a lot difference, and it is fun to look back and see how things have changed.

"I use the very best of what I can afford for materials now. Glass eyes, perle cotton, high quality stuffing...and various kinds...steel shot (for safety and weight), glass beads, Ultrasuede™ etc. I have more resources now for trims and details.

"The designs themselves have changed too. Arms that curve or bend with flexlimb. Bears that can stand alone. Then the Scrapbook bears are a whole different story...all one/one, freestanding, with a theme and a scrapbook to go along with them."

What are your favorite colors and fabric types for your bears (style of mohair, etc.)?

"My favorite colors are all over the map! I can get just as excited about a new "traditional" color as I can about a "wild" one. I can get really carried away with dyes and mixing them. Then the bear is one of a kind because I choose not to remember or document the exact procedure for getting the color.

"One of my most recent favorite mohairs is the curly matted which adds an interesting dimension to some of my designs. I like to mix mohairs too. One type with another. Long and short. Straight and curly. Colors with colors. Traditionals with neutrals."

Which of your bears is your favorite? Why is he/she your favorite?

"This is always such a hard question to answer and gee, around here, someone might be just a little bit offended if I chose just one – little bear ears, you know!" Ginger laughed.

"But I will say, each has their charm for me. The larger ones are sometimes easier to make and can be adorned with more detail. The medium sizes (7"-9") are fun because I know when I am finished I will have a bear that would be a good companion for a small person...like we all used to be, nostalgic in some ways. Then the tiny ones drive me to distraction, but it's pretty neat to hold a bear so small in the palm of your hand."

How did you learn to make bears?

"I learned to sew...clothes and things...when I was 8. I continued to sew and make things all through school and after I got married. I decided to make a bear one day, but it was frustrating and unfamiliar territory.

"When I eventually returned to the task after several months, I learned by doing...making all those mistakes, reading from an old book, and perseverance. Much later, artists at conventions or just hanging around would tell me a little tidbit or a big one and that helped a lot. This is still a great thing!"

What part of bear making do you enjoy the most?

"Getting an idea, getting to work on it and having it turn out as good or better than you had imagined."

What part of bear making do you enjoy the least?

"Having people on a waiting list – waiting and waiting and waiting...."

But I say, Ginger Brame's bears have a special charm worth waiting for!