Artist Background - Marjan Jorritsma of Tonni Bears......

Here is some background information on this wonderful bear artist.

Marjan lives in Holland with her husband Reinder.

As long as Marjan can remember she has been doing something with her hands. It all started at the age of 5 with knitting a scarf for each of her dolls.

Later life would see Marjan doing all sorts of different things, until in 1990 she opened a doll shop, but soon realized that this was not her main passion, this was teddy Bears so Marjan joined a teddy bear making class, and her addiction began.

After her first bear Marjan found that she just couldn’t stop.




Now a few words from Marjan.......

"The bears take me everywhere all over the world and I get the chance to meet all kinds of wonderful people who are mostly just like me ‘crazy about bears’.

It was not difficult for me when I needed a trade name for my bears. It was the perfect thing to have my brother TONNI very close around me again. Because after he passed away in 1987, I missed him so much and giving my bears his name it felt like he is always around me again, and I know for one that he would be very proud.



I get a lot of help from my husband Reinder, he does a lot of drawing, helps with the stuffing from the arms and legs. It is a shame that you can’t meet him on every show I go to, he has his fulltime job, but his soul is around the bears.

As you probable all know I make everything by myself including the clothes but sometimes my mom will come over to my place to help me.

My bears have not changed a lot over the years because they never lost their “old look” which is also due of the fact that Reinder and I love old and antique things. We are always on the search for “old things” for our own display but mostly for the bears.

Bearly hugs,
Marjan Jorritsma"

To see these and other bears by this great artist, please click on the header above.