New Year, New Direction?

2010, a review ...

2011 whimpered its way into my life, or perhaps it would be fairer of me to tell you I whimpered my way into 2011.  Not for me a giddy head full of fireworks and champagne to herald our New Year, instead a heady brew of 'flu remedies pooped my poorly party spirit.

Contemporary style 2009

Looking back at the bears I created during 2010, I can see a significant change in style from earlier years when more often than not, my bears were showy characters, full of  rowdy humour.  It seems these days, just like their designer, my bears no longer crave a need to draw attention, preferring instead to mature gracefully.

 Careworn vintage style 2010

With the exception of my vintage style 'Careworn Collection' created at the start of 2010 and carefully distressed for aged appearance, many of my 2010 bears eventually became a little removed from the reproduction vintage style I began the year determined to master, but even so, they absorbed a sprinkling of nostalgic appeal ... resulting in a gentle teddy style I came to enjoy very much.

Gentle classic style 2010

This year I have been asked to create a small shop collection for launch at http://www.sillybears.co.uk/ in February and funnily enough, my brief is to design bears 'typical of All Bear' ... which begs the question after so many years and so many subtle developments in style, what exactly is 'typical' of my work?!  One common denominator has always been the size of my designs, so it is very unlikely my 2011 bears will be truly tiny, but beyond size, I wonder which design ingredients unify my bears and whether in 2011 I should work to keep those 'All Bear' ingredients in the mix, or instead throw caution to the wind and change direction entirely?

Contemporary classic style 2010

Knowing me and the way I prefer to work, there will be no outrageous plan to sweep clean in 2011, just simple teddy evolution, as usual ... if and when the mood takes me!