Gay bear artwork

As he celebrates 20 years of creating art, we here at Bear World are thrilled to sit down with this amazingly talented man and learn more about him and his prolific body of work. Firstly, the notion of a bear is to be comfortable and confident with being themselves.

We had a small gay community in the city of Auckland, where I resided and there was this group of men who were burly, husky, cuddly, BBQ loving beer drinkers.

Gay bear art discover : All gay bears artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a day money-back guarantee

These traits are what I try to capture in my art. I learned to draw through my own observations and curiosity for the world around me. This was reflected in the art that I would produce. Little did I know how much my life would change. Being in a more sexually liberal place allowed me to find myself and become more comfortable being a gay man.

Discover recipes, home ideas, style inspiration and other ideas to try. Check out our gay bear paintings selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our paintings shops.

The Artwork of Don : Offering original risograph prints and offering low-cost printing to fellow queer artists

Tell us about that. DC: There are a few layers to unpack about my fascination with the bear subculture, especially when regarding my art. We sit down with beloved bear artist Don Chooi to learn more about him and his work as he celebrates 20 years of creating art.

JH: Are you professionally trained or self-taught? To me a bear just exudes an aura of confidence. In my opinion, the freedom in identifying as a bear, regardless of social status, religious affiliation, ethnicity or body type, is highly erotic.

Lastly, this bear is highly sexual. JH: What is it about bears that makes you want to incorporate them into your art? His depiction of big, beefy, masculine bears strikes that magic balance of eroticism and playfulness that drives so many of us wild.

DC: I started being fascinated with the bears in my earlier years living in New Zealand. Secondly, the sense of masculinity. These bears became my community and muses, fueling my sexual fantasies. I moved to New Zealand in to complete my education.

Don Chooi DC : I was born in Malaysia inout in the rural areas where acres and acres of rice paddy stretched out as far as the eye can see. Don Chooi is one of the most celebrated artists in the bear community and it is not hard to understand why.

And what keeps you there? JH: What initially drew you into the bear community? It was in these formative years that my imagination began to flourish; and through drawing, I built my own little worlds to entertain myself. He is also a pioneer in the sense that he is one of the first artists to incorporate bears of color into his work.

As I was still finding my place in the community — being an immigrant and Asian — I found myself drawn to the bears as they made me feel at home by welcoming me into their fold.