I love it when Mei Xiang and her southern belle sister Lun Lun get on the phone together!
Summer is coming and the living is easy!
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
Sometimes it’s hard to know what’s real.
Meanwhile, back at the real SNZ, Bikkie seems to be taking the throngs of real life visitors in stride, or at least in cubby trot! So just remember, when real life gets too surreal, there is always the panda cam!
Be the Bear
Bob T Panda
Who would have guessed my creative journey would have taken me into the realm of needle felted pandas, or even Panda Satire? Certainly not me! When I was in art school, back in the days when you could get a college education for less than the price of a house, if you were a painting student, you PAINTED! Nothing else was acceptable! You did not “waste” your talents on such frivolous pursuits as Panda Satire, for crying out loud!
For some number of years, I held to those principles. Eventually the realities of a more regular cash flow lead me down the path of printmaking (etching to start). Eventually I embraced other forms of printmaking, such as lithography, monoprint, and monotype. One of the universal truths I discovered was that all forms of making art have something to offer, and each technique you add to your tool box, circles back around and makes the other forms you practice stronger.
Working on black and white etchings made my paintings much stronger, with greater attention to composition and light an dark values.
The recession of 2008 hit me hard, and I needed something to cheer me up. Pandas were the answer. I don’t know what the question is. What I do know, is that one thing leads to another: panda satire lead to starting to write children’s book (another pursuit which has a long way to reach its conclusion) and it also led to making needle felted pandas.
Some of the stories are mine, but the felty panda troop inspires stories in the people who welcome them into their homes. I am honored to be entrusted with some of these stories, and rather than my usual dive into the archives today, I am going to share some of the photos sent to me by a lover of the felty bears. They have added their own touch to the settings, and as one who has always loved dollhouse miniatures, the exquisite details they have added to the scenes thrill me no end!
Be The Bear
Bob T Panda
Imagine! I could be taking a nap on the couch, and just when I need to wake up, it would come over and nudge me, bringing me a cold drink and a snack! I realize these inventions are created for people with mobility issues, but what a boon for the laziest among us!!! I think I need another nap! Binky! fetch me a soda!
Be the bear!
Bob T Panda
By popular request….
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
While all of Bikkie’s fans prepare to converge upon the Smifsonian Panda Zoo, (and the chaos of a reservation system being overloaded with all of his fans) those of us with non-panda zoos took a day to visit the “other” pandas.
Yes, I do mean red pandas. Of course I asked them where the real pandas were. They were not amused. No matter, it was a fun day at the zoo, meeting up with some of #PandaTwitter for a morning’s wandering in the May Seattle sunshine!
Here are some Sunday Fun Day ‘toons to hold you, until the next exciting episode of Pinky’s Dream drops on Tuesday!
Who doesn’t love a couple of adorable grizzly bears?
Be the bear!
Bob T Panda!
You didn’t think I would leave Pinky in the middle of her nightmare, did you? Or just let her out of it…
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
SOME of you have expressed worry that Pinky is being distressed by her dream. I can assure you that Pinky is fully committed to her dramatic roles and intends to see this little drama to its end. She is a professional, after all! (Pinky: I hopes to win da best panda in a dramatic role at next year’s Oscar fingies!)
Well, now that Frank and Mikey have emerged from hibernation, we can go on with Pinky’s dream next week! Stay ‘tooned!
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda
Doctor Panda is available for $65 +shipping
Hey! it’s Earth Day! Could it possibly be the 51st anniversary of the very first Earth Day? I think it could be, and if I told you how old I was when the first Earth Day happened, you would know that I’m old! But I’m not going to tell you that. Suffice it to say, that I was there when it happened!
We’ve come a long way since then, and not especially in a good way. But here we are still. Pandas have always been aware that we have to take care of the planet. And to take care of the planet, we have to take care of pandas! At least I’m pretty sure that is a major goal of Earth Day!
What will Pinky find when she returns to the Panda House? Stay tuned till next week and find out!
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda