I have been designing and making Teddy bears since 1992. My original inspiration was the classic German Teddy with long elegantly tapered arms, a humped back and pronounced snout. Through the years I evolved different styles and enjoy the challenge of making a bear with a strong scuptural shape and substance, sometimes with bold colours and contrasts. Whatever the style of bear I make it is important to me to recall the origin of the Teddy Bear as a gentle creature of cloth and felt and needlework, so even a large grisly bear will always be a Teddy Bear at heart. I still very much enjoy the challenge of capturing the spirit and style of those early bears too and constantly revise patterns and details as an ongoing creative process.