Photos courtesy of Sumiko Shimizu
The other day, I was lazily perusing my Facebook timeline — okay, I was studying it intently and clicking on every cute kitty-cat video that was coming through (did you see the cat and the returning war hero?) — and I saw a reference to Japanese soft-art maven Sumiko Shimizu. I had the great good fortune to interview her for a past issue of Teddy Bear & Friends, but like many features, I couldn’t showcase every thought or image she provided.
Photos courtesy of Maybeary’s Bears of Singapore
Residing in Singapore, which bear artist May Wong calls “multicultural and modern,” Wong draws from inspiration the world over to create her quirky and humorous bear designs. A great admirer of animated movies, Wong doesn’t hesitate to admit that she borrows a little bit of this and a little bit of that to cultivate her comical bear expressions.
Photos courtesy of Movie Star News
In the film universe, there are rarely any coincidences. Sure, there’s always the chance that an unexpected storm might occur, giving the cinematographer the chance to capture stunning and dramatic weather patterns. Or, like in the cult classic “Medium Cool,” an actual riot can break out, permitting the cameraman to keep rolling while protesters at the DNC act out and lash out. (The film’s cast continued to hit their marks and play their parts while pandemonium and arrests popped up all around them.) So, while there may be surprising instances that the producers either embrace or avoid, mostly everything on a movie set is controlled and predetermined: especially when it comes to teddy bears.