Heather started collecting bears some twenty years ago, and has come a long way since then. She did not anticipate that her passion would develop into a successful business, designing and making bears. With her husband, Roy, she opened Auckland's only bear store. The business grew quickly, and they finally sold it in 1998 to concentrate on D'Lyell Bears. They have not looked back since.

Heather’s big break came the same year after submitting 'Edwin' to Teddy Hermann, the famous German manufacturer. Hermann continues to release Heather’s design. She has recently started design work with an exciting new English company, Charlie Bears.

Heather’s love of jewellery, handbags and antiques is reflected in her designs. Her intricately detailed pieces are bought as display items by Museums and private collectors around the world. Heather and Roy are proud to be able to take part in their first show in Singapore and they look forward to meeting new friends.

Mie’s interest in teddy bears started innocently as a hobby, when she got married. She collected bears for fifteen years, until 1999, when she decided to try making teddy bears herself. By 2001, she had gotten so good at it, that she was creating bears for advertisements, and participating at conventions.

Not satisfied with her successes, Mie continued to push the boundaries, as she experimented with new techniques and material. She has since successfully coloured her bears with dyes made from red flowers, and received a patent for her technique of attaching solid accessories to stuffed toys. In recent years, her creations have spotted birth-stone in navel, crystals in paw/navel, black diamond in eyes/navel and 24K-gold threaded nose. Her distinctive line of bears is sold under the HESO-KUMA brand.

Mac Pohlen has always preferred naked bears for their clean lines and simple form. She feels strongly that her bears should be able to make a statement through their expressions and body styles. Hats and/or clothing are sometimes added for a bit of fun. Mac enjoys making classic teddy bears with timeless appeal. The bears should be passed from generation to generation, carrying with them the message of family, kindness, loyalty and patience.

Mac imagines the perfect teddy bear to be one that ages gracefully, preserving its basic appeal even as it picks up the telltale signs of aging.

Mac has been making bears for 25 years. In the USA, her works can be found at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and cities like New York, Chicago and San Diego. In other parts of the world, she has showcased her creations in cities like Paris, Tokyo and countries such as England, Germany, Holland, Singapore, and Switzerland. At many of these locations, she has also found time to teach the art of teddy bear making. Mac looks forward to meeting the collectors of her works.

Rosalie Frischmann has been creating charming animals under the Mill Creek Creations label since 1983. Her love affair with dogs and cats since young is telling, and it has had a major impact on her creativity. Today, Rosalie’s works stand out internationally for their fine craftsmanship, originality, and signature expressions of woeful puppy-eyed innocence. Over the years she has also made many cats, bunnies, ducks, and the occasional squirrel or hedgehog, but her proudest works remain that of dogs and bears.

Each Rosalie piece is a collector’s item, lovingly hand crafted from original designs. With each animal bearing a unique expression, the Rosalie menagerie offers a range of rich emotions that has been made possible by her dedication to the art form for 25 years, during which she has become an expert in the use of innovative materials and methods. Many of Rosalie’s creations have been featured in books, magazines, greeting cards and calendars. Her works are also on permanent display at the Korean Teddy Bear Museum and the Teddy Bear Museum of Naples, Florida.

Since 1990 she has been a featured artist at the Walt Disney World Teddy Bear and Doll Convention, winning accolades and awards for her works. Most recently Rosalie was invited to take part at the first ever Tokyo Disney Character Convention held in Tokyo Japan. Elsewhere in Japan, she is also commissioned to design displays at four Teddy Bear Museums in Japan. In 1999, Rosalie was asked to design for the Barton’s Creek Collection by Gund, Inc. which was sold worldwide. Many of these designs went on to win awards and shelf space at prestigious stores such as Harrods in London.

Information not available.

Information not available.

Alicia Quek is Singapore's first professional bear artist.

She got her start in 1997 after being honoured at an international competition with a British Bear Artist Award for a set of realistic bear cubs.

Alicia followed that good start with successes at other International bear shows, where her works were well received. Alicia further enjoyed nominations for TOBYs (USA) and Golden Teddy Awards.

In 2004, her polar bear and penguin set was selected to be on the cover of BarReport - a German magazine. The following year, “Cub in Spring” was pictured in “101 Bears to Make” by an American artist, Nancy Tillberg. In Japan, she was twice invited to conduct bear-making demonstrations and to sell her bears at Kintetsu Departmental Store.

Alicia specializes in creating realistic bears that are strong in character, yet friendly and approachable. Materials used include both high-quality German synthetic plush furs as well as mohair, which is woven from the fur of the Angora goat.

Through her work, Alicia hopes to spread the message of love for bears in their natural habitat and raise awareness for the tragic plight of Asian bears that are trapped on bear farms in China and Vietnam.

Emen Chen has been making soft-sculptured animals since 2003. He has joined the growing ranks of bear artists, and has attended international teddy bear shows in Korea, Japan, Singapore and Germany to trade ideas and hone his knowledge.

Emen is a professional art instructor who enjoys sharing his knowledge of the art with people of similar interest.

Fabian Song discover his love for the art of teddy bear making in early 1996. Today, he is one of the rare few local pioneer artists who have earned recognition through International awards. Amongst the various accolades, Fabian’s achievements include winning the Toby Award, Public’s Choice and Industry’s Choice more than once, as well as the prestigious Golden George (Germany) twice.

Fabian makes about 100 teddy bears each year. Each bear is personally designed by him, and handmade using high quality material. These bears make their appearances at 6 to 8 international shows each year, and have been sought after by aficionados from USA, Japan, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, and Singapore, just to name a few.

Like all artists dedicated to their craft, Fabian has developed his individual style and expression. He is especially proud of his “open mouth” series of bears. His works have been featured in Teddy Bear Times, Teddy Bear Club International, Teddy Bear Review, Japan Teddy Bear Fan Club and mentioned in the tribute to Teddy Bear Artists Series 3 by Linda Mullins, as well as publications in Korea, Belgium, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Isaac and Pamela started their teddy bear design company with the aim of furthering their passion for teddy bear making and to spread their love for soft-sculpture art form to people around the world. Since the company’s inception in 2002, Isaac and Pamela has been creating works of art that reflect individual styles, characters, personalities and moods. Unparalleled attention to detail and a commitment to quality are signature features of the couple’s creations.

In 2006, Isaac and Pamela were commissioned to design six pairs of couple teddies by a leading local jeweler for her Valentine’s Day campaign. The campaign was a huge success, and it further encouraged the couple to create teddy bears with unique style and personalities. Isaac and Pamela have since won numerous awards in international competitions held in Taiwan, Japan and Germany.

Last year, Isaac and Pamela successfully organised the “Singapore Teddy Bear Show”, attracting award-winning artists from Asia, America and Europe, after being motivated by their own participation in international bear-making fairs and exhibitions.

Prior to the Singapore Teddy Bear Show 2008, the couple ran a 4-session teddy bear making workshop for a group of 10 to 15-year old children from fractured backgrounds. Knowing that teddy bears give comfort and strength to children, Isaac and Pamela introduced the joy of teddy bear making to the children and taught them how to sew and create teddy bears on their own. Sadly, for many of these children, the idea of fun is in serious short supply at home. The children’s finished handiworks will be showcased at the show.

Leonard is an award-winning teddy bear artist who has been making teddy bears since 1996. His curiosity was piqued after he was presented with one as a gift. Leonard later attended a class on making bears conducted by Jennifer Laing, and soon left behind his career in the fashion design industry to concentrate on his new found passion. While he humbly claimed to be still a student of the craft, Leonard has come a long way since he first started. His bears wear unique doleful expressions, and Leonard notes himself that his designs tend to grow in appeal with time.

Leonard’s works have been featured in magazines in several countries, books by Linda Mullins, and earned mention in the Teddy Bear Encyclopaedia. He has also won several awards, including the Singapore Teddy Artist of the Year for large dressed bears, and International awards at the Linda Mullins show and TBAI show, as well as a couple of Toby nominations.

For as long as he can remember, Mark Rodrigues has been drawn to creative pursuits, such as drawing, painting, design and architecture. He even tried Art School for a while, before being forced by circumstances to opt for a steady job.

The creative streak in Mark did not stay suppressed for long. Today, Mark continues to keep in touch with his creative self through bear making. He has always been fascinated by the lore of the teddy bear and as a personal challenge he decided to learn the skills to make his own bear.

Since that fateful decision, Mark has had the opportunity to journey to different parts of the world, where he has met fellow bear aficionados. In that twelve years, his love for bear making has deepened, and he continues to be thrilled by the magic of teddy bears. He is inspired by a bear artist, who once shared with him, that “for every teddy bear created, there would be someone to love it”. The statement still rings true for Mark to this day.

Nothing makes him happier than to see one of his creations put a smile on someone’s face.

Nana Pong had a hint of her strength in fine arts and design during high school, where she enjoyed three years of education in the subject. She went on to earn a diploma in interior design at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art (NAFA) and later began a career in interior design. Meanwhile, she continued to nurture her interest in illustration and product designs.

In 2005, Nana finally decided to leave her day job to become a full time artist. This move to turn a hobby into a career has been a rewarding one, as Nana gradually slips into an Art De Vivre (Art of Living) lifestyle.

Her unique designs stand out as testimonies of her creativity and talent. Nana reflects that her art works are not created for their own sakes, but rather, to allow her to share her passion with everyone.