Richland Bears by Richard van Aalst

Since 1994


Richland Bears is maybe a well known name. But who do know the story behind this artist?? Richard starded to collect bears around 1990. First of all just stuffed toy's. Till one day he read in a local magazine that a Teddy Bear show was held in his town. Needles to say Richard wanted to go there and a whole new world opend for him. Seeing so many bears and many of theme called Artist bears. He needed to buy one there. Not knowing about prices at all he was shocked that his first bear cost 110 Dutch Gulden. That's about 55 US$ That he found already much but he did not know what would come more. Already the next weekend another show was in Amsterdam and He needed to go as well. With a budget of 75US$ he thought that would be enough. Well WRONG. One of the first bears he did see was from Anne Marie van Gelder of Sunny Bears. And she had a blue bear. Very classic as all of her bears. And that bears was 90US$. So that was to much for him. He was walking around the show and looked and looked and ok he did see other bears he liked as well but no one like that Blue bear. He talked with his partner and OK he was to help as well. Coming back to the stand the bear was sold. Richard very sad about it. Anne Marie saw that and said she could make him one like that one...... Richard could not believe it but he thought ok. How long do I need to wait he said??? About 2/3 weeks. She was to call us. But He still needed to get a bear so he bought another one from her as well. This was the start of a long time relation with bears. And up to now his collection count more then a 1000 bears and animals. And most of theme artist bears. Richard was working in a department store so he could pay his expensive hobby. The urge to make a bear him self was there but he did not know how. He looked for work shops but found that to high in price. Then one day a lady in the shop. Who was coming every week to buy small parts of fabric and Richard came to talk with each other and Richard asked why do you need those small parts`?? To dress my bears she said. Well Richard and she came to talk and Richard told her, he was a collector and would love to know how to make a bear him self. She offered to show him how they where made. She was living not that far from his work so he would go 3 evenings to her and made his first bear. Very happy with the result. This bear was about 35cm. All sewn by hand. After that bear he made some more and bought also some kits but ... there was something missing in it. Then one day he bought a miniature kit and that was love for richard. He saw that he could make that as well. But having no real idea how to design a small one he talked with one of the artist he came to now over the time. And she offered to help him. And so they met and Richard designed his first "Richland Bears" He made some more and then one day someone said so a small bear you can't make out of mohair that was a challenge for him. He made theme as small as 7/8cm and he showed theme to the artist's and collectors and soon after that he was selling theme. That was in 1993. That gave him the power to make more and the urge to attend a show. And he did. With Easter of 1994 he was at his first show in Rotterdam Holland. With 36 bears at the show he was very nervous. But with 24 sold before 12hour he was so happy and proud He had already bought a few bears from his favorite bear Artist Jane Humme but after he sold so much he needed to go one more time to her table. There was a bigger bear he loved as well. But one lady was holding the bear and Richard was getting nervous he might be sold but... The lady put him down and Richard said Loud to Jane. He is MINE. And since that time Richard is always trying to get a bear for his reward. And then it does not matter if he buy one or trade one. Over the years Richard traded many bears. Richard is not only a collector of Artist bears but has also written two books about miniature making. That was very much fund for him. He would love to write one more. Well maybe one day that will happen again. Richard also has written many articles for the Dutch Teddy bear magazine called Teddy's and De Teddy Bear. For  the UK he wrote for Teddy Bear Scene many articles. And for the Japanese Teddy Bear Times he wrote as well. And last of all he wrote and still write for the German magazine Teddy's as well. There you can also see that Richard is not being afraid of his other colleges. His saying is that every bears is different So he does not worry about that. About his is written much as well. He was in: The Dutch bear magazine De Teddy Beer many times. And the Dutch Teddy's. In UK he was in Teddy Bear Scene many times, The Teddy Bear Times and Teddy Bear club International. In USA he was first in the magazine from Dennis Shaw and John Paul Port. Then Teddy Bear Review and his last article was in Teddy Bear & Friends. In that was also a pattern from him and though that article he found out that one of the two bears he designed for Grisly who both got a Toby Industry award also won the People's choice award. That was one of his high lights with the prices. He was also in the Japanese Teddy Bear Times and Teddy Bear Fan club. Because of the article in Teddy Bear Times Japan he was also invited to come to Tokyo. He was there to addend a show and show how he was working. This was a ones in a live time chance and it was fun for him. He loves Japan very much and loves also the Japanese bears as well. One of his Favorite ones is Hisa Kato and he was lucky to get some and also she made him esp one. And he was also invited to be at one of her work shops that was great fun. There they made a bunny.  Of course Richard was also in some of the Germany magazines . Richard was also invited to send in some information for the 3The artist book from Linda Mullins. And one of his patterns is the book from Jullie K Owen. That bear is also used by Richard for all his work shops he has given over the years.  Over the years he has won many awards and was also many time nominated. Richard used to do about 6 shows a year but because of serious illness he is not able to travel at all. So he sells only trough out the home page. Of course he misses it to walk at shows and maybe talk to collectors. He was always some shy but he knew he needed to do shows. But now he is excepting his way of being an Artist and one who can only show at his homepage his new bears. He makes about 50 or less bears a year. And as you can imagine many of those bears are used for trading with other artist as well. So is he doing a Birthday trade every year. And is always on the look out for new artist as well. He loves the contact with other artist and collectors via email very much.  And trough that he got to know many new friends.