Tara Logsdon must have a big heart.
The artist has dedicated her talents to "rescuing" discarded and unloved teddy bears she finds at thrift stores.
You can see the results of her teddy bear makeovers at the "Right to Bear Arms" show at The Artlink Heritage Square Gallery during Art Detour 22, this weekend, Friday, March 5 through Sunday, March 7.
Logsdon takes this work very seriously (just check out her website). Once discovered, each bear's recovery needs are assessed and the plush toy receives a prescription. Logsdon then washes, stitches and replaces any necessary parts, depending on each individual bear's needs.
She also makes a point to use deconstructed materials from designer recycled materials by Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Burberry as a symbol of the bears' newly acquired value. And she always replaces the eyes so each bear can have a new outlook on their life.
The artist is inspired by her grandmother who was a very talented seamstress. Grandmother has since passed but, spent years volunteering at charity clothing drives. She even used to sew dresses for young girls in need.
Logsdon calls the project "EKLbearmy" (EKL are her grandmother's initials) and views this artistic endeavor as charity work. "After their traumatizing experience of being abandoned it is a great way for them to transition back into society with confidence through nurturing," Logsdon says.
Okay, so she goes overboard. But she's an artist - it's her job.
Anyway, it's obvious she pours her heart into her work because the rehabbed bears do look pretty great. So great, in fact, that Logsdon sells them on her etsy site.
See "Right to Bear Arms" by Tara Logsdon at the Artlink Heritage Square Gallery, 115 North 6th Street in Phoenix, artlinkhsgallery.wordpress.com.
Opening reception is Friday, March 5, from 6 to 10 p.m. Gallery is open during Art Detour 22 on Saturday, March 6 through Sunday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Show continues through end of March.
