Philip Lumbangâs earliest memories root in Elk Grove, California. Memories filled with addictive doodling, cartoon binging, and parent teacher meetings concerning his greatest passion, drawing. Doing the only thing that seemed natural to him, he pursued his artistic talent and went to art school. By divine entanglement, he was offered a seat next to Sheperd Fairey, at Studio Number One. There, immersed in a world where an artist is not a trouble maker, but a respected professional, he realized he could be one too. Los Angeles was a world apart from his humble suburban home back in Elk Grove. When he would draw he would channel all the noise, traffic, bad habits and negativity that the city was boiling over with. His bears first emerged as gaspingly rude mammals. But the bears transformed as Philip did. As a counter attack to the worldâs problems, his bears went to artistic reform school, rather â charm school. They appeared all over Los Angeles as courteous and well mannered cuddly creatures. Now, as a most wise people, Philip Lumbangâs message through the bears is to love each other. And the bears do it quite nicely.
