The Teddy Bear Shoppe Of The Poconos

DENIS SHAW
CREATOR OF "WANDABEARS" OF CALIFORNIA

When teddy bear artists are discussed, Denis's name stands out. He has contributed so much to the bear world. From his design inventions, which he has freely shared, to co-authoring the magazine "TEDDY TODAY", he has had a major part in the bear world's developement. Finally meeting Denis and having him participate in two of my Gallery Shows was a highlight for me. His style is refreshing and unique. Denis is a truely talented artist, as the bears on the next page will prove.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Here In His Own Words~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I started making bears in 1985 for a local community raffle. Through demand and personal interest my business has grown each year hence. My art background is mostly self taught and enhanced through investigation, experimentation and life experience. I enjoy being different, doing the unusual, impossible or even the controversial.
I quit school to study art in person, traveling in Europe. I learned to love animals and nature while on an exciting 40 day safari in Africa.
My niche in the bear world is making real looking bears-on-all-fours and creating my fantasy creatures from another planet. The two are extremes at either end of the spectrum of bear-making.
The fantasy creatures have gotten me recognized - they are Bedi-terres, winged bears from another planet, and their companions, which are sometimes a combination of earthly animals. For instance, Troc the Crocadero is part crocodile and part warthog. They have an ecological story explaining their existence, coming from a planet in the constellation Orion where pollution has endangered their lives.
I design and construct all my bears by myself, about 200 each year. I love designing new things the most. Sometimes it is a surprise and that is exciting. Each bear starts with a drawing and I always do the head last. I allow myself the fantasy that the bear is able to breathe with the application of the nose. I cut the fabric pieces freehand using the pattern only as a guide, which adds to the uniqueness of each finished animal. I rarely repeat the same bear in the same materials. Different fabrics, mohair, synthetic or whatever, dramatically changes the character of the bear.
My proudest achievement was in 1989 when I invented the "Quizzy-face " joint behind the ears, which allows the face to swivel in a quizzical pose. In conjunction with the neck joint it becomes a double-jointed neck allowing the bear to look left and right. I have taught classes explaining this feature and now many others are using it also.
Bearmaking is also mental therapy. It releases tension and is very relaxing. I finish even the most peculiar experimental bear, because a laugh is as good as an award.
To me, bearmaking is an art form, a form of sculpture. I like to believe I am making each and every one for myself to satisfy me. I'm delighted when someone else loves them. I'm very optimistic about the bear as a collectible. I would like even more challenges from the art side of bear making. I enjoy the people associated with bear collecting. Customers and artists have become a social network. I just make bears and meet people, the bears do the rest.

TO VIEW DENIS'S GALLERY--CLICK "NEXT"

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