Bearly Magical

Former Storm Lake teacher Steve Schutt is considered one of America's pioneering teddy bear artists and has been honored for his achievements with Golden Teddy and Artists' Choice Awards, as well as Toby Award nominations. He has created more than 12,000 bears, with some selling for up to $3,000. / Courtesy Fans of Steve Schutt

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And while his legs have failed him, his hands have created such magic that the former Storm Laker has become one of the most famous makers of teddy bears in the world.

Curator of Santa's Castle in Storm Lake, Ron Stevenson, would like to bring Schutt home by housing a special exhibit of Schutt's bears in the holiday showplace this year, and perhaps even to host a bearmaking workshop if there is enough interest and the artist is able to make the trip.

Shutt, who was trained in the fine arts with a degree in art education, once put on printmaking workshops at the Witter Gallery. He went on to a teaching career, but was always drawn to the fiber arts, and for years supplemented his income by making quilts, woven baskets, intriacately-dyed Ukranian eggs, puppets, even metalsmithing.

Read more of this story in the August 26 Pilot Tribune.

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