Christine Pike's Web Log
Christine Pike's Web Log
The Abaracadabra Annual shop signing is nearly here!!
Yes folks,
It's that time of year again - and, for me, it's one of the high points of the summer!
For the past three years, Marsha Davison has organised this very special and exclusive signing event; entry is by invitation only and you can sign up for one here: ABRACADABRA
What is unique about this event is that an online 'virtual signing' is run concurrently with the actual signing in the shop. So this means that, if you can't physically get to to the shop, you can still participate and adopt a bear or two - the only thing you can't do is to join us in a cup of coffee and biscuits!
When you sign up for your invitation, you will be issued with a password and instructions on how to log in on the day. So get your invite and put the date in your diary: Saturday, June 21st 2008
We like to put out little teasers of some of the bears that will be available - you can see work from all three participating artists on the Abracadabra website, but here are a couple of special little guys I have just finished - two brand new designs in gorgeous smoky long pile fabric...
So new they don't even have names yet!! These sweet little chaps are five and four inches high, respectively.
More information about my new designs in the next blog update - meanwhile you can check out a few more of the Abracadabra bears on my Preview page
It's that time of year again - and, for me, it's one of the high points of the summer!
For the past three years, Marsha Davison has organised this very special and exclusive signing event; entry is by invitation only and you can sign up for one here: ABRACADABRA
What is unique about this event is that an online 'virtual signing' is run concurrently with the actual signing in the shop. So this means that, if you can't physically get to to the shop, you can still participate and adopt a bear or two - the only thing you can't do is to join us in a cup of coffee and biscuits!
When you sign up for your invitation, you will be issued with a password and instructions on how to log in on the day. So get your invite and put the date in your diary: Saturday, June 21st 2008We like to put out little teasers of some of the bears that will be available - you can see work from all three participating artists on the Abracadabra website, but here are a couple of special little guys I have just finished - two brand new designs in gorgeous smoky long pile fabric...
So new they don't even have names yet!! These sweet little chaps are five and four inches high, respectively.
More information about my new designs in the next blog update - meanwhile you can check out a few more of the Abracadabra bears on my Preview page
New Etsy shop announcement
I am delighted to say that I have now set up a shop on Etsy.com! I have called it 'English Eccentric', because I want to be able to showcase all of the quirky and interesting stuff I make - as well as the bears Right now there is some jewellery and a couple of hand-stitched and bound books. There are more pictures of Julius, too.
Later on I hope to put up some more jewellery pieces and some dolls - but that will have to wait until I can find a good secondhand electric kiln...
Anyway, to see what else I do, go to: www.EnglishEccentric.etsy.com
Be warned - you will need plenty of time to look at all the good stuff on Etsy - there is some seriously great art and design work there. So grab a cup of tea and settle down for a cosy hour of happy surfing!
Right now there is some jewellery and a couple of hand-stitched and bound books. There are more pictures of Julius, too.Later on I hope to put up some more jewellery pieces and some dolls - but that will have to wait until I can find a good secondhand electric kiln...
Anyway, to see what else I do, go to: www.EnglishEccentric.etsy.com
Be warned - you will need plenty of time to look at all the good stuff on Etsy - there is some seriously great art and design work there. So grab a cup of tea and settle down for a cosy hour of happy surfing!
Countdown to Stratford!
There are only two weeks to go until the very first Teddy Bear Artist Event in Stratford, England!!
I have been working like mad and now have ten bears finished - which, for me, is a minor miracle, as I can usually only get about six made before a show. Maybe my new studio is having a good effect on me as there are fewer distractions - like the computer and the temptation to make a cup of tea every half hour!
Anyway, here is a sneak preview of a few of the bears I shall be taking with me on June 8th:
Jingles: 17 inches
Millie: 7 inches
Julius: 18 inches
I have been working like mad and now have ten bears finished - which, for me, is a minor miracle, as I can usually only get about six made before a show. Maybe my new studio is having a good effect on me as there are fewer distractions - like the computer and the temptation to make a cup of tea every half hour!
Anyway, here is a sneak preview of a few of the bears I shall be taking with me on June 8th:
Jingles: 17 inches Millie: 7 inches Julius: 18 inches
House-Warming Party!
I am just about to send off my latest little group of bears. They are off to Bath for the 'House of Bears' house-warming party. Formerly 'Party Bears' they have now moved to bigger premises.
If you plan on attending the show I hope you have a great time! Here is a sneak preview of the bears I am sending to the event...
Francois, 7 inches Araminta, 12 inches
Claudine, 5 inches Chuckles, 5 inches
If you plan on attending the show I hope you have a great time! Here is a sneak preview of the bears I am sending to the event...
Francois, 7 inches Araminta, 12 inches
Claudine, 5 inches Chuckles, 5 inches
Flora
My mum turned 70 in February so I thought I really should make her something special to mark the event!
Since I have been practising my sculpting skills, I decided to make use of the college kiln where I spend every Thursday evening at ceramics class.
I adore the work of Dutch doll artists, such as Ankie Daanan, who take their inspiration from old portraits by the Dutch Masters, so I thought I would try something in a similar style.
I was very pleased with how Flora turned out - although, of course, I have a loooong way to go before I get to be anywhere near as good as my idols, hehe! For those of you who are interested in the technical bits, I sculpted Flora's head and limbs in paper clay, which were then bisque fired. Here elaborate hairstyle is made out of Apoxie Clay. Her features were painted with artist acrylics, including her eyes, and she is constructed on a cloth body and wire armature.
I found that I particularly enjoyed sculpting the feet, not sure why! But I deliberately left her without shoes, so that I could show them off.
Since I have been practising my sculpting skills, I decided to make use of the college kiln where I spend every Thursday evening at ceramics class.
I adore the work of Dutch doll artists, such as Ankie Daanan, who take their inspiration from old portraits by the Dutch Masters, so I thought I would try something in a similar style.
I was very pleased with how Flora turned out - although, of course, I have a loooong way to go before I get to be anywhere near as good as my idols, hehe! For those of you who are interested in the technical bits, I sculpted Flora's head and limbs in paper clay, which were then bisque fired. Here elaborate hairstyle is made out of Apoxie Clay. Her features were painted with artist acrylics, including her eyes, and she is constructed on a cloth body and wire armature.
I found that I particularly enjoyed sculpting the feet, not sure why! But I deliberately left her without shoes, so that I could show them off.
Teddy Bear Artist Event ; Stratford-upon-Avon
Gosh, it seems ages since I have written anything! In my defence, I have beeen very, very busy... with a secret project that may or may not bear fruit in the next few months. Can't say more at this stage, so you will just have to be patient
However, I can reveal my auction bear for the up-coming teddy bear event at Stratford-upon-Avon on June 8th.
His name is Marmaduke and he stands at 16 inches. This is a hefty chap, since I filled him with crushed mineral sand (the filling is encased in little muslin bags, so there is no risk of leakage!).
This will be a silent auction, in aid of the British Heart Foundation - a very worthy cause, I am sure you'll agree!
If you would like more information about the show, there is a link from my website here: Christine Pike
However, I can reveal my auction bear for the up-coming teddy bear event at Stratford-upon-Avon on June 8th.
His name is Marmaduke and he stands at 16 inches. This is a hefty chap, since I filled him with crushed mineral sand (the filling is encased in little muslin bags, so there is no risk of leakage!).
This will be a silent auction, in aid of the British Heart Foundation - a very worthy cause, I am sure you'll agree!
If you would like more information about the show, there is a link from my website here: Christine Pike
New bears have arrived at Abracadabra!
Following on from my Eureka Moment regarding the direct sculpting process, I have been quite prolific and am now working on my fourth bear in this style. Two have just arrived at Abracadabra Teddies in Saffron Walden and will be on Marsha's website later this week.
You can find them at: www.abracadabra-teddies.com
Here is a sneak preview of 'the boys':
You can find them at: www.abracadabra-teddies.com
Here is a sneak preview of 'the boys':
On a Roll Now!!
Well, after creating Otto, I thought I would give myself a really hard time and try to make a similar bear - but only 4 1/2 inches high.
Tadah!!! Meet Harvey - who will soon be off to Abracadabra Teddies in Saffron Walden, along with a few friends.
These pictures show him slightly bigger than actual size.
Tadah!!! Meet Harvey - who will soon be off to Abracadabra Teddies in Saffron Walden, along with a few friends.
These pictures show him slightly bigger than actual size.
A New Year - a Radical New Design!
People say you should never go back... I agree with this, in principle - UNLESS you can go back and improve on the past!
Well, I think I have finally achieved something I have wanted to do since I began making aretist bears nearly fifteen years ago. Back then, my first bears had faces sculpted from polymer clay, because I was aiming for something that looked semi-realistic but cute - and gave me a perfect outlet for my sculpting skills.
Times have changed and materials - and my skills have moved on and improved. I was never entirely pleased with the way the clay met the fur in an artificial join, but could not figure out a way to make the progression from fur to skin look more natural. But now I have discovered a fantastic epoxy clay that is used by taxidermists and sculptors. After some trial and error, and a bit of research, I am proud to present the first of my newest design:
This is Otto, and he stands around 14 inches high.
I created this much more natural look by making the fur head first, and then sculpting a muzzle directly onto the fur - it takes nerves of steel and some skill to get the clay to go where you want it (and not everywhere else!) and you have to have a very clear vision of what you want to achievem as the poor bear looks like an alien during the construction of the face. Once I was happy with the shape, I let the compound cure and then I painted many thin layers of acrylic paint onto the muzzle to make it look like skin. I added a little more fur here and there, to give a downy appearance - and voila! I am so pleased with the way Otto turned out, I plan to take him to the Hugglets show next month...
Christine
Well, I think I have finally achieved something I have wanted to do since I began making aretist bears nearly fifteen years ago. Back then, my first bears had faces sculpted from polymer clay, because I was aiming for something that looked semi-realistic but cute - and gave me a perfect outlet for my sculpting skills.
Times have changed and materials - and my skills have moved on and improved. I was never entirely pleased with the way the clay met the fur in an artificial join, but could not figure out a way to make the progression from fur to skin look more natural. But now I have discovered a fantastic epoxy clay that is used by taxidermists and sculptors. After some trial and error, and a bit of research, I am proud to present the first of my newest design:
This is Otto, and he stands around 14 inches high.
I created this much more natural look by making the fur head first, and then sculpting a muzzle directly onto the fur - it takes nerves of steel and some skill to get the clay to go where you want it (and not everywhere else!) and you have to have a very clear vision of what you want to achievem as the poor bear looks like an alien during the construction of the face. Once I was happy with the shape, I let the compound cure and then I painted many thin layers of acrylic paint onto the muzzle to make it look like skin. I added a little more fur here and there, to give a downy appearance - and voila! I am so pleased with the way Otto turned out, I plan to take him to the Hugglets show next month...
Christine
Straw Bear Festival
What in the world is a Straw Bear Festival?? You may well ask!
Ever since moving to East Anglia last summer, I have wanted to witness this event - the last remaining straw bear festival in England, which takes place every January, in Whittlesey*, near Peterborough.
Believe me, nothing quite prepares you for your first sight of the 'Bear', which looks more like a moving haystack. Mind you, after a while, you do start to see it as a lumbering, dancing bear, accompanied by its 'handler' and a motley array of Molly dancers, Morris men, and blokes (it is mostly men!) in makeup and strange costumes.
The Straw Bear in all his glory! Part of the procession of different bands of 'Molly Men'
The bear and his entourage process around the town at various times throughout the day, chased by spectators (and plenty of local press), eager to get their own pictures and lasting mementoes of the day.
The event harks back to the days when agricultural work was scarce in the winter and so farm labourers would beg door to door for money - the various 'Plough Monday' festivals around the country were a form of organised begging. The Straw Bear festival at Whittlesey is the last of its kind in England and the tradition was only revived in the 1980s. Although it no longer provides for farm workers scraping through the winter, it still makes a bright splash of colour and zest for life during the dark days of January - and certainly gives a boost to the local economy, since all the hotels and B&Bs get booked up months in advance and the local pubs and cafes do brisk business throughout the three day festival.
The German bear, from Walldurn (twinned with Whittlesey), getting decidedly frisky with a bystander!
This year, there were three bears - two from the home town, and the German bear, who was clearly out for a good time!
There is real ale a-plently, good food, a wonderful spectacle, and a great vibe to the whole event - there is story-telling, barn dancing, various styles of Molly/Morris dancing, and the 'bear' is given a final, dignified sendoff on the Sunday, when the costume is ceremoniously burnt.
I tell you folks, it made me proud to be English - this is possibly one of the few remaining genuine rural spectacles to be had in England. this is no 'Disneyfication' of Merrie Olde Englande; this is the real deal, and - believe me - the participants take it VERY seriously! There is no limp-wristed flapping of handkerchiefs and skipping like girlies - these Molly Men mean business and you are never quite sure whether they are dancing or fighting with each other.
The 'Squire' of Bourne Borderes Morris Dancers - a really friendly and knowledgeable guy!
Having said that - and, given the amount of real ale flowing through out the three days - the atmosphere is extremely friendly and perfect for a family day out. The event is very well-organised and policed, and everyone is exceedingly good-natured. If you have never been to the Straw Bear Festival, and you find yourself within hailing distance of Whittlesey next January, then, beg a car, hitch a lift, buy a train ticket - do whatever you have to, but GO! This is one event you won't want to miss!!
*Although the town is called Whittlesey, the festival uses the older spelling of 'Whittlesea' - if you google this you will find all sorts of information, and the history of the Straw Bear Festival.
** A full feature on the Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival will appear later in the year in Teddy Bear & Friends magazine.
Ever since moving to East Anglia last summer, I have wanted to witness this event - the last remaining straw bear festival in England, which takes place every January, in Whittlesey*, near Peterborough.
Believe me, nothing quite prepares you for your first sight of the 'Bear', which looks more like a moving haystack. Mind you, after a while, you do start to see it as a lumbering, dancing bear, accompanied by its 'handler' and a motley array of Molly dancers, Morris men, and blokes (it is mostly men!) in makeup and strange costumes.
The Straw Bear in all his glory! Part of the procession of different bands of 'Molly Men'
The bear and his entourage process around the town at various times throughout the day, chased by spectators (and plenty of local press), eager to get their own pictures and lasting mementoes of the day.
The event harks back to the days when agricultural work was scarce in the winter and so farm labourers would beg door to door for money - the various 'Plough Monday' festivals around the country were a form of organised begging. The Straw Bear festival at Whittlesey is the last of its kind in England and the tradition was only revived in the 1980s. Although it no longer provides for farm workers scraping through the winter, it still makes a bright splash of colour and zest for life during the dark days of January - and certainly gives a boost to the local economy, since all the hotels and B&Bs get booked up months in advance and the local pubs and cafes do brisk business throughout the three day festival.
The German bear, from Walldurn (twinned with Whittlesey), getting decidedly frisky with a bystander!
This year, there were three bears - two from the home town, and the German bear, who was clearly out for a good time!
There is real ale a-plently, good food, a wonderful spectacle, and a great vibe to the whole event - there is story-telling, barn dancing, various styles of Molly/Morris dancing, and the 'bear' is given a final, dignified sendoff on the Sunday, when the costume is ceremoniously burnt.
I tell you folks, it made me proud to be English - this is possibly one of the few remaining genuine rural spectacles to be had in England. this is no 'Disneyfication' of Merrie Olde Englande; this is the real deal, and - believe me - the participants take it VERY seriously! There is no limp-wristed flapping of handkerchiefs and skipping like girlies - these Molly Men mean business and you are never quite sure whether they are dancing or fighting with each other.
The 'Squire' of Bourne Borderes Morris Dancers - a really friendly and knowledgeable guy!
Having said that - and, given the amount of real ale flowing through out the three days - the atmosphere is extremely friendly and perfect for a family day out. The event is very well-organised and policed, and everyone is exceedingly good-natured. If you have never been to the Straw Bear Festival, and you find yourself within hailing distance of Whittlesey next January, then, beg a car, hitch a lift, buy a train ticket - do whatever you have to, but GO! This is one event you won't want to miss!!
*Although the town is called Whittlesey, the festival uses the older spelling of 'Whittlesea' - if you google this you will find all sorts of information, and the history of the Straw Bear Festival.
** A full feature on the Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival will appear later in the year in Teddy Bear & Friends magazine.