Susan Leigh – Bearleigh Bears

Darling Delights from Down Under

by Pam North

Susan Leigh grew up in Durban, South Africa, later moving inland to a farm in Broederstroom, Johannesburg, then immigrating to Australia in 2004 to live in Sydney, New South Wales. She now lives in Bannister, a small village outside of Goulburn, New South Wales, with her husband, David, of 32 years, two daughters, five dogs, and six horses. Before getting married she worked at a bank, then mostly stayed at home when she had children, working on and off running a cheese-making factory with an attached restaurant, then a horse feed business. After her move to Australia, this diverse background somehow culminated in her working a few days a week at a teddy bear shop in Baulkham Hill, Sydney, called Teddys Bits, where teddy bear making from beginner to advanced levels is taught, and lots of supplies are stocked. Apparently it was there that the seed was planted for her current endeavor. She now works for a supermarket chain, operates an equine rehabilitation center for horses with hoof pathologies, and runs her small little farm. Whew! How Susan finds time to create anything is amazing in itself, but somehow bears, bunnies, and assorted other characters emerge from her talented hands. “In my spare time I work from home with my own business called Bearleigh Bears, making bears, and going to shows to exhibit,” she explained.
She always has been interested in crafts, enjoying turning into reality the cute creations she envisioned. Primarily self-taught, she also has availed herself of courses taught by many different artists.
She uses quality materials in her crafting. “I love using real fur, especially mink and alpaca, and I like hand-dying furs. I also work with mini-bear fur.” Her workplace is a separate room in her house, where she does her more detailed work, like the heads, shading, and sculpting. “Sometimes in the evenings I will sit in the lounge with my family to do just the basic sewing,” she said.
Susan sells her products from her website, online shows, and other events. She enjoys teaching workshops, and gets great joy from sharing what she has learned over the years with as many people as possible, with the rationale, “I want to keep the craft alive.
Inspiration for Susan comes easily. “I get inspiration from fabric, little ornaments, and nature. My favorite fabric is alpaca. I love creating chubby cheeks, and I am able to do this with alpaca, as it is lush and thick. I also love converting vintage mink fur coats into heirloom teddies. I’m always trying new designs with my bears; sometimes those ideas work, and sometimes they don’t! The best surprise is when I am making a certain bear, and it turns out completely different from what I expected, but it is usually a wonderful new twist that I love anyway. My goals are to grow as a bear-maker, and to experiment with new techniques.” What Susan enjoys the most in her creation process is the head and face. “Once the face is completed, it is fantastic to see the character emerge.”
Susan's talent has earned her a Toby Award in 2015 for her bear, Bella, and Bearleigh Bears also has won 1st and 3rd prizes at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Looking ahead, Susan has many plans. “To share, teach, and keep the craft alive. To enter a few more well known competitions and win awards. To create some fantastic bears and to stretch myself outside my comfort zone.  On a personal note, to become self-sufficient on our acreage, as we grow most of our vegetables and fruit.”
She views the future of bears with both pessimism and optimism, saying, “Unfortunately with the higher costs of things and people downsizing their lives, bear-making has taken a small decline in Australia. However, I think that if we continue and make more intricate bears, we can revitalize the industry, as bears are still a favorite of many. One shouldn’t be afraid to try to make a bear, as it is much easier than you think. And always try something new.  Don’t be afraid. Use all those scraps that you have left over to test new techniques, and if they don’t work, it doesn’t matter, as you probably would  have thrown those scraps away otherwise.”

Contact Information:
Address:  1880 Pomeroy Road, Bannister, NSW, Australia, 2580
Email: susan@bearleighbears.com
Website:  http://www.bearleighbears.com
Telephone: Home number 011 61 24 844 3217 
Mobile: 011 61 43 801 6714