Artist finds home for herself, dog, creativity in Clark
ILENE OLSON Powell Tribune | Posted: Monday, October 15, 2007 12:00 am
CLARK - After living in France for 30 years, artist Susan Tatlinger recently returned to the United States.
Though she'd never lived in this area before, she found the home of her dreams in Clark six months ago. With her came her beloved English bulldog, Raoul, and her love of stuffed animals.
Tatlinger said she moved to France years ago because "I kind of bought the myth of people of my age. We were told if you're a serious artist, you had to move to France. I was a painter; that was what I was educated to do."
The move appeared to pay off, as Tatlinger was able to make a living off her artwork while living in Paris - a rare feat, because most serious artists without partners to provide steady salaries end up teaching part time or finding some other way to supplement their incomes.
"Being an artist is not a get-rich-quick scheme," she said.
Tatlinger said she decided some time ago to return to the United States.
"I'm an American and proud to be an American," she said. "I wanted to live in America, and I wanted a joyful Protestant religion. That's very difficult to find in France."
Her attention turned to Clark a year and a half ago when she visited the area to ride with well-known horseman Ken McNabb.
"I just fell in love with the place," she said.
Tatlinger's parents, happy to have her back in the states, bought her home in Clark with a trust. The two-story log structure overlooks the Clark's Fork River and provides ample light for any artist's work. In fact, it's almost too much light, she said.
Three things fill Tatlinger's time in Clark: attending a "joyful" church, working with her horses and making teddy bears and other stuffed animals.
For company, Tatlinger turns to Raoul, whom she made the spokesman for her online newsletter. She also spends time with her friends from church.
Tatlinger, who designs teddy bears and stuffed animals, said she loved stuffed animals as a child, and she found she enjoyed sewing as well.
"When I was a little girl, I used to sit and sew by hand and make kind of flat animals," she said.
That led to an enjoyment of fabrics, and Tatlinger studied in a textile art program before turning her attention to drawing.
"I went to a wonderful school advanced in weaving and dyeing," she said.
About 10 years ago, she discovered making teddy bears and stuffed animals was a way to combine both of those interests.
"I don't use a commercial pattern. I created the pattern. The art is in making the pattern."
Some might argue that there are not that many ways to make a pattern for a teddy bear. Her response: "There are not that many ways to create a dress. Why do we like one dress over another?
"It's a big challenge to start with a flat pattern when the goal is not flat. It's 3-D. I just love it."
Her love of fabrics inspired Tatlinger to use Schulte mohair for the bears. The fabric is made of fur sheared from live animals and planted into a cotton backing. It's also expensive, selling for as much as $500 to $600 per yard, depending on the length and thickness of the fur.
When each animal is done, it is given a name, a personality and a certificate of authenticity. Each one is unique.
Whether it's a painting or a teddy bear, Tatlinger said she has one goal for her artwork: to make people laugh.
"I've been blessed to do that," she said. "There's not much meaning to my art. It's just funny. I'm just trying to do a good job at something I enjoy and make people happy."