Photos courtesy of Arisa/Taeko Watanabe
Theatricality and creativity go hand in hand; and in the case of Japanese bear artist Taeko Watanabe, they go hand in paw. Making bears and their exquisite costuming since 2005, Watanabe doesn’t conjure up critters that are cute and cuddly. Yes, some of her pieces are adorable and are hug-worthy, but the majority strike dramatic poses, clad in kimonos that tell a tale of her homeland and of her heritage.
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.