Bears And Babies From Benidorm

By Miki de Goodaboom

 

I always paint with deep enthusiasm the Teddy Bears which our 2 reporters from “Go Teddy!”, Ann La Mar et Kev Le Chat, meet during their missions. Unfortunately I often forget that my Truffle McFurry and me always go on bear photo safari when we are visiting my parents in Benidorm, on the Costa Blanca in Spain. And it is not fair: Benidorm Teddies also want to be loved and protected, and the best way I can help doing that, is to paint them and making the whole world aware of their existence by showing them on the internet…

Last time I was on a bear photo safari in Benidorm, 2 weeks ago, I could not find any. I guess they were all hiding in the caves of the surrounding mountains as it was very hot.

But the time before, I did meet some beautiful and special ones. I adored the motif of that big bear girl with her own little Teddy, sitting in the middle of baby dolls. That motif was weird, somehow, almost spooky. The baby dolls looked like an army of little soldiers wanted to take over the stage again, having been superseded by the Teddies… The funny thing was that they all had these giant  white dummies in their mouths, and it made them look like as if they had a snout like Teddy Bears! A typical case of genetic mutation due to forced adaptation to the environment … or of mimicry!  🙂

Benidorm Bears And Babies S

 

 

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My Teddy And Me 04

By Miki de Goodaboom

I had a very happy childhood, great parents, great brothers, great cousins,  great friends, great places where we lived, great holidays every year… and yet, looking backwards, I think there are two things I haven’t had which are important in the life of a child:

  1.  A Teddy Bear (of course!)
  2. Somebody reading me stories before sleeping.

Now, I don’t know why I had none of them. The Teddy, I guess, is because in France, at least in those days, they rather gave dolls to girls, and bears to boys… and I hated dolls!

As for the story telling, I have no idea why not. Fact is that even now, in my “old age” of 61, I adore it when my partner tells me a story before sleeping. It has a deep soothing effect on me and I do fall asleep fast immediately then… me who has normally such difficulties to fall asleep because my brain does not want to rest. Of course, it is a bit frustrating: I never hear the end of the stories!

I did this new painting of the the series “My Teddy And Me” with this in mind… how cool would it have been (and still would be!) to have a bear who reads stories to me before sleeping! Wondering if I should teach my beloved Truffle McFurry to read?…

My Teddy And Me 04 S

My Teddy And Me 03

By Miki de Goodaboom

(Based on an anonymous photo)

 

As I said yesterday, I started a series of paintings, called “My Teddy and Me”. featuring all kind of people -babies, children, adults, old people- in emotional interaction with a Teddy bear.

I love to paint these artworks, as they exactly represent my own connection with Truffle McFurry, and more generally, with all Teddy bears. One of my dreams concerning this site “Go Teddy!” is that people around the world contact me and send me their own photos so that I can work on real personal photos, not being forced to help myself with anonymous photos from the the net.

But well, even anonymous, I am still trying to convey real and very personal feelings through these paintings. In this new one, my intention was to let you in into that deep conversation between that cute baby and his giant Teddy!

 

My Teddy And Me 03 S

 

My Teddy And Me 01

By Miki de Goodaboom

(Illustration based on a photo by Anonymous)

I cam across that photograph on the internet some time ago, as I was searching to buy clothes for my Teddy Bear Truffle McFurry. I think I found it in a Teddy shop, but I don’t know any more. Therefore I am very sorry not to be able to give the credit to the photographer!

Anyway, the image touched me very deeply and I had to paint it. It conveys exactly what I feel about Truffle, and more generally about all Teddy Bears: unconditional love, tenderness, intimacy, closeness, friendship, complicity, presence, faithfulness, fun and so much more.

I would adore to paint more motifs from that style, children with their Teddies, adults with their Teddies, pets with their Teddies, teddies with their Teddies… so please, if you have some nice photograph featuring such things, share them with me!

 

My Teddy And Me S