The Bearskins Story

Hello, my name is Kathy LacQuay and I welcome you to the Bearskins web site. Let me tell you a little something about myself and how I got started in the Teddy Bear business.

Bearskins was born in 1991 when I visited my first Teddy, Doll Show with my mother. I purchased a little Teddy Bear and a magazine to take on a car trip. When I opened the pages of the magazine, a whole new, world opened up for me! I had no idea that teddy bears had advanced so far from the simple children’s toy. I read an article about a bear artist and was immediately enchanted with miniature Bears.

            For many years my Grandfather, Father, and husband Dennis, were involved in Black Powder Shooting. They made their costumes from deer hide, and beads. On the weekends we attended Rendezvous, which were gatherings where Fur Trappers, Mountain men, Voyagers, and Indians came together to trade, barter and celebrate. I had been doing Indian beadwork for about 25 years so it seemed very natural for me to make my bears from deerskin, incorporate the knowledge I had with beadwork and the use of natural elements in my designs. I sold my first bear in 1992 and have been making and selling bears ever since.

            Bearskins are collector quality miniature bears made of the finest natural deerskin or Elk. Each bear is made of 19 or more pieces, which are completely hand stitched on the outside. They are fully jointed, with glass bead eyes and a stitched nose, mouth, and claws.  Bearskins range in size from 1” to 3", are signed, dated and numbered on the bottom of their right foot, and they are all limited editions. Currently, I exhibit at approximately 5 shows a year. All of the bears, are completely designed and created by me. The characteristics of the Leather make it necessary for me to do all the work myself as I am the only one who knows the stretch or “feel” of the leather and whether or not a particular piece will be suitable for the bear. It takes about 6 hours to make just the bear and 4-12 hours to make the costumes depending on how elaborate they are. The American Indian Bears are an ongoing series and they have many bead and feather details to their costumes. I make about 80 bears a year. A few years ago I was thrilled when I received a letter from Yoshi Sekiguchi at Sun Arrow Co., Ltd explaining the opening of a Teddy Bear Museum in Izu, Japan and asking me to send several of my American Indian bears to be displayed in the Museum. Japan is an exciting and growing market in the Teddy Bear world. Teddy Bears are universal in their appeal, bringing out the caring and sentimental feelings in all people. I am also honored to have one of my American Indian bears on display in the Teddy Bear Museum in Naples Florida. 

When I am not making bears, I am very busy with my husband Dennis, who is a Mason and a Shriner, our 19 year old daughter Stephanie, and 2 Golden Retrievers named Teddy and Bear. Our son, Jim, is 22 and is in the United States Air Force. I also work full time at our Early Childhood Special Education Center where I work on an individual basis with 2 –5 year old children with special needs, focusing on children with Autism and others that have delays in communication.  I love to listen to new age music when I make bears and find that it is a great escape from the stress of the day.