Gloria Chan, the founder of Gloria’s Handicraft Studio, has released a new book filled with stories from her childhood and youth, tracing her journey to becoming the chairwoman of the Hong Kong Teddy Bear Association. She is a talented teddy bear artist as well as an instructor who teaches the art of making them."
In the opening of her book, Gloria writes: 'From page one to twenty-two, it’s all my story. You will be surprised to find that I am not the person you imagined me to be. It hasn't been particularly fun, as it required a lot of hard work and sacrifice. The publisher kept every word because they believed my life story was truly worth recording.'
The book consists of 186 pages filled with full-color photographs and is written entirely in Chinese.
(Page 55) "I was a naughty girl in my youth. Whenever I encountered something that piqued my curiosity, I would pretend to be a newspaper reporter to interview the artist," Gloria says.
(Page 65) The book is filled with Gloria’s memories, including a story about a young man who walked into her shop to buy a gift for his girlfriend. "He asked me to write 'Love You Forever' on the gift." Gloria looked at him and said, "Maybe you should give that some more thought." The man replied, "She is a very beautiful girl and I like her a lot, but it seems she doesn't feel the same way about me." Gloria asked, "How old are you?" — 23. "How old is the girl?" — Also 23. "At what age do you hope to get married?" — Around 30. "And when you do get married, how old do you want your bride to be?
The young man hesitated for a moment and then said, "Not older than 25.
(Page 74) "This is a story about a man who owned seven gold mines. He was one of my customers. It’s a sad story—even though she possessed immense wealth, he was still unhappy.
Gloria plans to write a book about haute couture for teddy bears in the future, providing detailed instructions on how to create professional garments. 'I hope this teddy bear clothing book will be available in both Chinese and English. If this new book sells well, the publication of the clothing book will become a reality.
Gloria has traveled to many cities around the world to meet with artists and exhibition promoters, attend classes, and connect with collectors.
Ref: Bearsandbuds provides a brief overview.
The Artistry of Gloria’s Handmade Teddy Bears
China's Pride – The Space Bear – The Astronaut | Bear Of China
On October 15, 2003, China’s Shenzhou 5 spacecraft successfully launched into space, marking a historic milestone for China's aerospace industry and a source of pride for the Chinese nation. At that time, a wave of 'aerospace fever' swept through both mainland China and Hong Kong. This enthusiasm reached its peak when Mr. Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut, visited Hong Kong. It also inspired me to create an 'Aerospace Bear'—both to commemorate this significant event for the Chinese people and because we, as Chinese, had never before had a teddy bear themed around this subject.
Afterword
"After completing the first Aerospace Bear, I created another one. Although the settings remained the same, I wanted to ensure the original stayed one-of-a-kind. Therefore, for 'Aerospace Bear No. 2' (left), I only added the national flag and the HKSAR regional flag. Looking ahead, I believe China will have even more manned space missions. As I write this, I’ve heard that 'Shenzhou 6' will soon be launched, this time carrying two astronauts. Perhaps one day, my Aerospace Bears could even evolve into a complete series!"