ISSUE 285

Cover art by: @avalon.yjrn on Instagram!

Hey you all! Welcome back to Furry Weekly! This is the first issue of 2024 so we hope you’re ready for the return of your weekly dose of the furry fandom!

We’ve got our usual announcements to get through, and we want to continue calling attention to our ‘Recruiting’ section below; we’re still looking for help here at Furry Weekly, mostly with writer positions, so take a look below if you’re perhaps interested in getting more involved in the fandom!

ANNOUNCEMENTS


RECRUITING

Here are the positions we’re looking to fill:

- Art Corner Host
- Furry of the Week Host
- Art 101 Host
- Photography 101 Host
- Species Spotlight Host
- Radical Raffles Host
- Available Artists Host
- Front End Website Developer
- Editor
- Content Migrator

If you’d like to help out or if you want more info, please contact Yeshua, or Carkas. If you want a description of the roles above, visit this document! If you have any suggestions for other roles or things we could bring into Furry Weekly, please reach out as well. We’d love to hear your ideas! We still need lots of help in general, so please do consider joining us or sharing with other friends in the fandom if you can! We’d really appreciate it!

READER SURVEY


In addition to recruiting, we want to listen to what you, our readers, have to say about Furry Weekly! Our goal is to showcase a little bit of everything in the fandom, especially giving a small spotlight to all kinds of creators and folks in the community. So we want to know what you think about what we’re doing now as well as what you might want to see from a furry magazine. So whether you’re an avid follower of Furry Weekly, or maybe you just found us, we want to hear what you like, what you don’t like, and what you would like us to do in the future! That’s why we have a short survey on this topic. We would seriously appreciate it if you took just a few minutes to take it and give us your feedback! You can do this multiple times as well! The link is below!

Click here to take our reader survey!


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That’s all for the announcements! Time now to check out what we’ve got for you today! As always, let us know what you enjoyed the most on our social media; we’re @FurryWeekly on most platforms including Instagram and X/Twitter!

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SEGMENT LINEUP

[✔] Furry of the Week

[✔] Animal of the Week

[✔] Art Corner

[✔] Writing Showcase

[❌] Art 101

[❌] Species Spotlight

[❌] Writing 101

[❌] Fursuit Focus

[✔] Photography 101

[❌] Fursuit Designing Tips

[✔] Radical Raffles

[✔] Available Artists

[✔] Character Interview

[✔] Convention Calendar

[✔] Furry Quote

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FURRY OF THE WEEK

Happy New Year, everyone! This is Danielle once again. Welcome to the first edition of Furry of the Week for 2024! I hope you’re having a great start to the new year. We have a special feature for you this week.

Before we put the spotlight on this week’s feature, I wish to remind all of you that we’re still looking to recruit more hosts for this segment. If you like spreading positivity, then this might be for you! Feel free to message our boss, Yeshua, if you’re interested in hosting Furry of the Week.

Sadly, Christmas has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean that the spirit of giving left. That’s what this week’s feature is all about. Specifically, we’re here to talk about a genuine gesture that Lorfy the Fox did for Livu Fox.

A fursuit redesign by Lorfy of Livu’s fursona/character.


Lorfy had the privilege to make Livu’s fursuit as a commission for them. Though sadly, after a tragic fire destroyed Livu’s apartment and his new fursuit, Lorfy took it upon himself to recreate Livu’s fursuit as a Christmas gift, which you can see above. What an amazing blessing in disguise!

Lorfy became aware of the incident during the time both of them were in contact with each other, but regrettably the incident occurred just a week after Livu had received the fursuit. Besides the fire happening, Lorfy’s motivation to make a new fursuit for Livu came from seeing how much joy it brought Livu the first time. “I wanted to recreate that happiness for him, especially after such a distressing event,” Lorfy explains. This goes to show how kindness, no matter how big or small, can go a long way. It just might put a needed smile on someone’s face even if it is temporary.

Thank you for sharing your generous story with all of us, Lorfy! Your kindness definitely hasn’t gone unnoticed.

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That is all for this edition of Furry of the Week.

We’re always on the lookout for candidates to feature for their amazing contributions to the community. If you have any questions about this segment or would like to send us a recommendation for a future candidate, feel free to contact me. Tune in next time for another mystery Furry of the Week! In the meantime, please enjoy the rest of this week’s Furry Weekly issue, and I’ll see you guys again. Bye for now!

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ANIMAL OF THE WEEK

Hello everyone! It’s Zed Shirogane, and it’s another animal of the week segment!

Animal of the week is a segment where we highlight an animal that is really cool, cute, creepy, or just plain fascinating. There will be a coloring-page illustration for you all to print out and color in at home, as well as an adoptable character inspired by the animal of that week. The best part? All proceeds made by said adopt will be donated to conservation charities!

Whenever possible, we do symbolically adopt the animal, but only some animals have the privilege to have that as an option unfortunately; thus we collect extra funds to donate to many different species conservation charities, donate towards wildlife rehabilitation programs, or send funds to scientists so that they can research underappreciated animal species. Join us on this fun adventure, and I hope that you, too, will fall in love with these amazing animals!

It’s January, and the animal group for this month is the Weasels!


Weasels are relatively small, nimble mammals that are members of the Mustelidae family, which also includes long-bodied animals such as wolverines, ferrets, badgers and certain skunk species. There are three weasel species that call North America home, the most prevalent being the long-tailed weasel. Weasels live in a variety of habitats, such as open fields, woodlands, thickets, roadsides, and farmlands. They typically thrive in environments abundant with small prey (like small rodents) and with an available source of water. Most weasels live in either abandoned burrows, or nests under trees or rock piles.

The English word "weasel" was originally applied to just one species of the genus, the European variety of the Mustela nivalis However, in technical discourse and in American usage, the term "weasel" can refer to any member of the genus, or to the genus as a whole. Of the 16 extant species currently classified in the genus Mustela, 10 have "weasel" in their common names. Among those that do not are the three species of ermine, the polecats, the ferret, and the European mink. Additionally, a group of weasels may be referred to as a “boogle”, “confusion”, “gang” or “pack”.

Image Credits: Animal Spot

This Week’s Species: European mink (Mustela lutreola)


Characteristics

The European mink is similar in color to the American mink, but is slightly smaller and has a less specialized skull. The summer fur is somewhat shorter, coarser, and less dense than the winter fur, though the differences are much less apparent than in purely terrestrial mustelids.

Image Credit: Global Conservation

Fun Facts

European minks are semiaquatic animals, spending some part of their life in water and some on land. They can swim up to 55 cm (1.8 feet) in one second and can dive down as far as 16 feet (4.8 m). They have webbed feet and fur that is covered with an oily substance that prevents their skin from being soaked. These aspects of the fur and feet are an adaptation to living in the water.

Habitat

The current range of the European mink includes an isolated population in northern Spain and western France, which is widely disjunct from the main range in Eastern Europe (Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, central regions of European Russia, the Danube Delta in Romania and northwestern Bulgaria). In Estonia, the European mink population has been successfully re-established on the island of Hiiumaa, and there are plans for repeating the process on the nearby island of Saaremaa. European minks inhabit riparian areas, where they are found on banks of rivers and streams. They rarely occur far from freshwater.

Image Credit: Nicolai Meyer

Diet

European minks are carnivores and opportunistic predators. They mainly eat rabbits, rats, birds, fish, crayfish, and frogs. They may also eat insects and vegetation.

Life Cycle

European minks are solitary wanderers, with home ranges near rivers. Summer territories are smaller than winter territories, and ranges vary by gender– females usually stay close to the den, except when a food shortage drives them to find another site, while males may move over more ground. European minks rarely use the same burrow, and little is known about their mating system. However, as they lead a solitary life and meet only to mate, it may suggest the animals exhibit a polygynous mating system.

Image Credit: Immortel

Conservation

The European mink is one of the most endangered mammals in Europe, listed as Endangered in the National Red Book of Ukraine and as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List. Its range has been reduced by over 97% since the mid-19th century. The remaining population is small, fragmented, and declining, with the most viable western European population located in the Danube Delta. In Romania, the presence of the European mink in the Danube Delta is thought to be around 1,000 to 1,500 individuals. There is also a population of European mink in the Carpathians. Currently, the species is being monitored in the Carpathian National Nature Park, but there is an urgent need for funding to restore its populations. In France, the status of the European mink is unknown, and it may already be nationally extinct. In Belarus, the species is considered to be extinct. The European mink was recently re-discovered on the Ukrainian side of the Danube Delta and in the Dniester Deltas.

The main threats to the European mink are habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, illegal hunting, and impacts of invasive species. In Europe, human activities have resulted in large-scale alteration of landscapes, environmental change, and disturbance, which have had a substantial impact on its habitat. This species is legally protected in all of the areas it inhabits, except Russia. National and regional authorities need to increase attention and allocate sufficient and continued resources for European mink conservation to prevent this species from disappearing. The impact of the American mink on local European mink populations needs to be monitored and controlled, and whenever possible and feasible, the alien mink populations should be removed. Further studies are needed about the current status of the European Mink in Romania, Ukraine, and in the eastern part of Europe. Another major threat is commercial trapping for the animal’s fur. Accidental deaths due to pest control trapping and poisoning occur, as well as vehicle collisions– particularly frequent in the west of this species’ range. Furthermore, all mink species are susceptible to Aleutian disease, which causes persistent infection, is highly contagious, and often is lethal.

Here are some links to articles about the conservation of the European mink:

Image Credit: Tiit Maran

Adopt

All funds from this adopt will go to animal conservation. The goal for this month is to save up to symbolically adopt two ferrets through a donation to WWF, and to “Toodles,” a ferret up for symbolic adoption through the Wildlife Adventure Time outreach and zoo of permanently injured and displaced animals. Together, these total to $45 for their care. This adopt will be one of 4 total created to achieve this goal and hopefully more; extra funds are pooled together to be donated to conservation research programs. It will be available for $30 at Shirogane Studios.

Coloring Page

Enjoy this coloring page made by yours truly, for you! Feel free to print it out at home to color in. If you enjoy the design, you can also purchase it on a multitude of products like shirts and stickers: links to these options can be found at Shirogane Studios.

Animal Ambassadors

-Orion the Badger
-Kinn


Thank you to our Animal Ambassadors–our AOTW supporters–who have helped make the world a little bit better for animals. If you wish to support this project, or maybe just really like these character designs and want to get access to some exclusive adopts and bases, you can find our patreon for this passion project HERE.

References

Most of my information was derived from Wikipedia and supplemented from other websites such as Global Conservation and Animalia.

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ART CORNER

How’s it going everyone? This is Dozu here to bring you another edition of Furry Weekly’s Art Corner! If you enjoy the art the fandom has to offer, then stick around!

Before we get into it though, I want to remind you all that we’re still looking for a permanent host for this segment. That means we’re looking for someone who is interested in writing it every week, so if you not only enjoy seeing furry art, but also maybe writing about it, this could be for you! Just hit our boss up, Yeshua, if you’re interested in hosting Art Corner!

Now, let’s not waste more time and see what we’ve got today!

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3pie14 starts us off today with a flat, sketchy full body!

Starting out with the linework, the sketchy style shows some of the lines not connecting, maybe even looking sort of “misplaced,” but in an artistic and skilled way. Instead of looking messy, they give the character a nearly animated look.

Next, let’s tackle the colors. This piece is flat color so there is no shading, but the soft colors look lovely on their own. The grays used go together wonderfully and have a warm undertone that contrasts beautifully with the cool background.

Lastly, I would like to highlight the background. Super simple yet very effective! The blue contrasts with the grays and complements the green of the eyes beautifully, while the white helps the character’s colors stand out enough to be noticeable but not enough to make them overpowering.

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KujoPineBoi follows up with a sweet pastel, lineless piece!

This art has one of my favorite types of lining, which is lineless– so no lines at all, or strategically placed lines. In this case, the mouth and eye area have strategically placed lines. The lineless look is softer and forces the artist to master the use of colors to separate the shapes but keep the look cohesive.

The artist used pastel colors which add to the softness of the drawing. It’s tough to make the purple and yellow play nice with each other and be visually appealing, but the shades chosen in this case work together beautifully.

Lastly, the background is also lineless to match the rest of the drawing. However, instead of being entirely flat, it has the detail of clouds in the sky, drawn with a blueish-gray and a rough brush which gives the clouds texture.

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TeslatheDog finishes today off with a Pokémon full body!

Last for today is a lovely piece of an Articuno mid-flight in a snow storm. This one is shaded, unlike the previous two, with a Cel-shading style. The colors in this artwork are mostly shades of blue and gray, which convey the feeling of cold very well.

The feathers in the wings are simple shapes but come really close to the real anatomy of a bird wing with the two major groups of feathers, one long and one short. The talons also are well-drawn, which takes quite a bit of practice.

The background is also simple, but the snow effect with the square brush is very pleasing to look at and works better as snow than individually-drawn, detailed snowflakes. The distance between them and different levels of opacity also add to the feel of depth and layers of snow falling.

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That will do for today’s edition of Art Corner! Thanks for checking it out and please, if you liked what you saw, go give the artists some love and give them a follow if you want to see more!

If you’d like to see your work showcased here or maybe you’d like to see a specific artist’s work featured, just let us know by reaching out on one of my boss’s socials, or if you post on Instagram or X/Twitter, just use the tags, #furryweekly and #artcorner! You can also reach out to me if you want to submit your work!

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WRITING SHOWCASE

Hello, everybody! Dozu here again, and I have for you today a story about a regal queen having a simple burger with one of her subjects and more!

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Stories of Bravileins

By Moon Drop Stables


Summary: A young horse named Eagle gets switched from his field herd to a paddock near the forest where he meets new friends and his new life begins, starting with another stallion named Sunshine.

Highlights: The characters are very nicely portrayed with shining personalities and even though it’s not much, quite sweet dialogue. The story is formatted quite nicely too with the paragraphs and dialogue separated from the main text.

For improvement: There’s a few little mistakes like misplaced quotations and improperly conjugated words but it’s nothing that hinders the reading flow. These mistakes can easily be fixed with a read-over or a beta reader like a friend or family member to look at the text with fresh eyes.

Question time! Answer in a post and tag @FurryWeekly and @DoggyDozu if it’s on Twitter!

  • Have you ever ridden a horse before?

  • How many breeds of horse did you know existed?

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That will be all for today folks. I hope you have enjoyed my pick!

Let’s give our authors a round of applause for their hard work! Remember to include the tags #FurryWeekly and #WritingShowcase in your posts if you want us to see your own writing on any platform! See you all next time, and now I'll sashay away.

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PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Hello, friends and photografurs! Welcome back to this week's Photography 101! I'm your host, Jaden. Many places are starting to experience their first snowfall of the season! In beautiful conditions like this, many photographers are eager to capture a winter wonderland. But did you know there are some special tips to take into consideration?

Snowy landscapes are an incredibly beautiful subject to photograph, but since snow is a good light reflector, there are some things you will want to take into consideration and prepare for if you don't want to ruin a day of shooting. So let's get into some of those issues and how to prepare for them!

One of the biggest problems with photographing snowy landscapes is the freezing temperatures. Cold temperatures make batteries less effective at producing energy, meaning your camera will have to draw more energy from the battery to keep it running which will cause your battery to die much faster than usual, so if you’re planning a long photo shoot be sure to pack extra batteries and store them close to your body to keep them warm.

Another very common problem is lens flares. Lens flares are very common when photographing snowy landscapes because snow acts like a gigantic mirror that reflects things like sunlight back into your camera. Thankfully, our good friend polarizing lens filters can fix this! I've mentioned polarizing lens filters hundreds of times on Furry Weekly because they're such an amazing and useful tool. As a recap, polarizing lens filters block certain wavelengths of light to remove reflections off of surfaces like water, windows, and snow! If you don't have a PLF filter, then don't worry, a lens hood is a much cheaper alternative that will help reduce lens flares as well. In fact, it's recommended that you put one on your camera to protect the surface of the lens from falling snow, which will also help reduce things like smudges on your camera.

While you're busy twisting on your filter or lens hood, you'll want to be sure to switch off your autofocus. Autofocus struggles to work in heavily snowed landscapes because autofocus relies on contrasting areas to lock on to and a plain white area makes it particularly difficult for the camera to find something to lock on, so to save yourself the trouble, shoot in manual focus!

Shooting snowy landscapes is such a rewarding experience that can give you ethereal photos. Despite its complications, they’re very easy to overcome and are more than worth it.

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That concludes this week's segment! If you have any questions or would like to share your photos, don't be afraid to shoot me a message! I’m now reachable on Bluesky!

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RADICAL RAFFLES

Hello, everyone! Danielle here once again, and I’m here to bring you raffles to start the new year off with.

Before we get into the raffles, I wish to remind all of you that we’re looking to recruit a more permanent host for this segment. If you enjoy coming across raffles, then this might be for you! Feel free to message our boss, Yeshua, if you’re interested in hosting Radical Raffles.

Feel free to stick around because we have seven raffles for you this week! Let’s take a closer look.

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First, we have an art raffle by Morfeyy!


How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and share the raffle post to your story. New followers are welcome!
-Comment that you’ve done all of the above.

Prize:
Fully shaded full body illustration of your original character (OC)

Deadline:
-This raffle ends on February 10th or when Morfeyy reaches 400 followers. As of January 9th, Morfeyy has 239 followers. There’s plenty of time to enter!

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Get cuddly with a plushie raffle by Soft Halos Workshop!

How to Enter:
-Follow both of their accounts: @that.flyingfox and @softhalos.workshop.
-Like the post and share the first slide to your story.
-In one comment, mention your favorite mythical creature, and tag three friends to spread the word.

Extra Entries:
-Follow their Twitter account, @that_flyingfox, and send a private message with proof (+1).
-Follow their TikTok account, @that.flyingfox, and send a private message with proof (+1).
-Draw fan art of one of their OCs from their Toyhouse (+10).

Prize:
-Custom plush of your fursona
-There will be a second winner if there’s at least 100 people entering this raffle!
-Free shipping in the United States; however, the winner will have to pay for shipping if they’re outside the United States.

Deadline:
-This raffle ends on February 1st. There’s lots of time left to enter!

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Celebrate with a road to 200 raffle by ChrysocollaCat!


How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Reply with a safe for work (SFW) reference and what animation you’d like if you win.

Prize:
Animated pixel art of your fursona (300x300; 10 frames; 12 fps)
-Total of two winners.
-Additional winners will be added at the 200 and/or 400 follower milestones if they are reached before the raffle ends!

Deadline:
-This raffle ends on March 22nd. There’s plenty of time left to enter!

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Celebrate the new year with a New Year’s raffle by Maria MaCoon!


How to Enter:
-Follow, repost, and comment.
-Get extra tickets for each app you participate in!

Prizes:
-1st: painterly full body
-2nd: fully colored chibi
-3rd: bites your character here (YCH)

Deadline:
-This raffle ends on February 12th. There’s plenty of time left to enter!

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Next up, we have an art raffle by Frell!


How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Optional: Reply with a SFW reference of your chosen OC or fursona.

Prize:
Full color artwork of your OC or fursona
-For every 100 followers, another winner will be added!

Deadline:
-This raffle ends on February 2nd. There’s lots of time left to enter!

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Celebrate with a 400 followers raffle by Nitro!


How to Enter:
-Like and repost.
-Comment a SFW or suggestive reference.

Prizes:
-1st winner: simple shaded full body
-2nd winner: half body

Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Thursday, January 18th. There’s a few days left to enter!

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Last but certainly not least, we have a New Year art raffle by Margony!


How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Optional: Reply with an OC reference.

Prize:
Half body with a simple background

Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Monday, January 15th at 12 PM (GMT+1). Be sure to enter while you can!

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Those are all the raffles I have for you this week. There's always more out there, and we'll make sure to find them and bring them to you every week!

Make sure you use the tags #RadicalRaffles and #FurryWeekly so we can find your raffle more easily.

Thank you for taking a look at this week’s raffles. Stay tuned because more radical raffles are coming your way!

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AVAILABLE ARTISTS

Hello, everyone! Danielle here once again to bring you the latest and greatest artists to commission to start off the new year with.

Before we get started, I wish to let all of you know that we’re looking to recruit more hosts for this segment. If you’re a connoisseur for furry art, then this might be for you! Feel free to message our boss, Yeshua, if you’re interested in hosting Available Artists.

We have three artists this week! Let’s dive in.

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**Price range**: $15 - $30
**Payment method**: Ko-fi
**Mediums**: Digital art, furry, boxing YCHs


We start with Carlos El Toro, a boxing enthusiast who specializes in cool boxing-furry your character here (YCH) art. If you enjoy boxing, then this artist might be for you! They offer half bodies and full bodies on their Ko-fi.

Feel free to contact Carlos if you’re interested in commissioning them and/or if you have any questions.

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**Price range**: $200+
**Payment methods**: PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App
**Mediums**: Airbrush hoodie art, furry, original characters


Next, we have Sword, an artist who specializes in neat airbrushed hoodies of furries and original characters. If you’re looking for something creative to wear, then this might be an artist for you!

Airbrushed hoodies come as a three-to-four-color scheme or as a rainbow, and Sword will work with your general ideas as long as it isn’t too specific. Slots are limited for these. If you’d like to order an airbrushed hoodie, feel free to contact Sword with any questions you may have as well.

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**Price range**: $15 - $40+
**Payment method**: PayPal
**Mediums**: Digital art, furry, original characters, human/humanoids


Last but certainly not least, we have Lupin, an artist who specializes in cute furry-based art. He offers semi-symmetrical icons and full illustrations as commission options. If you’re looking for something other than these, Lupin is willing to work with you to get what you want.

You can find Lupin’s commission information, terms of service, and links to his other social media on his Carrd. Feel free to contact him if you have any questions and/or if you’re interested in a commission.

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That is all for this edition of Available Artists.

We’re always on the lookout for amazing artists to put in the spotlight. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #AvailableArtists and #FurryWeekly so we can find you. Feel free to message me directly on any of my platforms if you have any artists with open commissions you’d like us to feature.

Thank you for reading and checking out these amazing artists. Keep being creative!

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CHARACTER INTERVIEW

How’s it going everyone? Welcome to the first Character Interview segment of 2024! We’re starting the year with a long-overdue interview that we’ve actually had in the works since last year! Let’s not waste any time and just get into it!

YESHUA: I'm hyped to be chatting with Tigermoon! Thanks for coming on, I'm seriously psyched to have you! I'm sure a good bit of people have seen you around the fandom, but for those who are reading about you for the first time, mind introducing yourself?

TIGERMOON: Hello to everyone reading! My name is Tigermoon, I'm 23 years old and I've been a content creator since 2016 and part of the furry fandom since 2017. I am the owner of the Street Animals car club established in 2021 and I design custom plushies, pins and ita backpacks on the side. My goal is to have a positive impact on everyone's lives and inspire others to succeed and grow.

YESHUA: Sounds like you've been super involved in the fandom for a while! I definitely wanna chat about everything you mentioned, but we gotta start with Street Animals. Tell me more about it and how folks in the club interact with each other if you would?

TIGERMOON: Of course, Street Animals is a worldwide, community-based car club that accepts a variety of automotive cultures like cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Our motto is "Driven by Instinct, Fueled by Passion." Furry or not, everyone is welcome with open arms, and we don't discriminate if you own a car or not because everyone starts somewhere.

Members come together online in the official Discord server where they can discuss cars and the furry fandom safely without fear of judgment from the "normie" car scene where toxicity and harsh judgment is normal. We have forums to ask and learn together, organized categorized chats and areas of the server where you can find other members near you to make new friends. Members are able to host meets locally with a set of rules to ensure the safety and respect of everyone around them, and once approved by me, I broadcast it over my socials where the word can spread.

Overall, Street Animals is a group where you can feel welcomed no matter the skill level or knowledge. It's a place where we grow together, not tear each other down like the normie car scene. There is no official registration to join or "club fees," and there are no requirements other than to be yourself and have fun. If a member wants to be more involved or learn more, then the Discord server is the main hub for the group.

The Street Animals merch is optional and supports the club directly. You can choose to "rep" the club discreetly and put a windshield banner on your vehicle or just a small sticker. Many members have accidentally crossed paths and have made new friendships recognizing the brand.

YESHUA: Wow, I’m impressed by how organized and far-reaching your club is! Seems like it's a great community within the furry fandom, and even going as far as welcoming folks outside the fandom. There are lots of areas I'd love to talk about more, but let's start with meets. You're certainly bringing people with a common interest together just through the Discord server, but I feel it's even more impressive helping bring them together physically – wherever they may be! So although you can't be at every single meet that happens around the world, to you, what's the ideal outcome for a meet? What are your hopes for folks hosting their own meets?

TIGERMOON: The ideal outcome is that everyone, no matter if they have a fursuit or "cool" car, feels welcome and accepted while meeting up safely and following local laws. Safety of our members is our priority so "take overs" are not condoned whatsoever. Meets are where members find new friends locally to share their passion and grow together. I have always strived to make Street Animals a community where everyone can join and not feel left out or judged.

My hopes for the hosts are for them to experience something I consider very special. When I hosted an official meet at AWU 2022 it was so exciting watching people walk over to the parking lot to look at everyones cars. The turn out was larger than I expected and everyone had a great time. It meant a lot to me knowing that I could help others.

The normal car scene outside of this crew isn't the most welcoming. Car meets felt very intimidating as there is a lot of bias and competition to the point that it doesn't encourage new people to continue their passion or to seek help and learn. Especially as a female car enthusiast, I faced a lot of sexism and judgment from the car community. I saw the majority of new enthusiasts would be put down rather than lifted up. I refused to let the normie community ruin my love for cars and instead sought other furry car enthusiasts.

August 15th, 2021 I posted a TikTok video asking for car friends. Surprisingly, there was a large amount of people who also liked cars and they wanted me to create a group for us to chat within my Discord server. That same day I talked with the group about a club and created what is now Street Animals! Since then the club has grown to be the largest inclusive car club in the fandom.

YESHUA: Wow, you have such a clear vision of what you wanted from creating this community and how people would interact, and honestly, it seems like you've achieved that! Sounds like the meets are very chill which I can definitely imagine makes them more welcoming!

I’m sorry to hear you didn't have a very good experience in the regular car scene; honestly sounds like a bit of a shame but it's great you were able to let that experience inspire you to create something so great for so many people.

It's been more than two years since you created Street Animals, and it definitely looks like it has grown incredibly well! Looking back at all that's happened so far, how do you feel? Were you expecting for this group to take off in such a big way?

TIGERMOON: I never expected it to get so big honestly. I'm super grateful for the opportunity the community has given me to create and lead this group. It's been a positive thing for me as well as I have been able to work on my social anxiety and it continues to motivate me to keep pushing forward and grow as a person as I learn new things to continue to improve the crew constantly.

YESHUA: Heck yeah! It's great that leading this group has not only had such a positive impact on the fandom, but on you as well! What's in the future for Street Animals? Anything in particular you'd like to do with the group? Or are you pretty happy with how things are going at the moment and just wanna keep them the way they are?

TIGERMOON: Personally, I feel there is always room for improvement. I honestly can't get too comfortable where I am now because I know I can do better and I'm a workaholic, haha.

I've been working on an Instagram page called @StreetAnimals. Crew and a brand new website for the general audience that doesn't tie into the fandom too much. I want the crew to be a balance between both the car culture and a hint of furry behind it. With the current negative stigma behind the fandom I feel I can make a difference in having others join the community and realize we are not that different from each other other than a harmless hobby that is largely misunderstood.

I mean I just recently had a Twitch stream where we discussed this topic and had two members of my audience let me know I helped change their minds on the fandom. One admitted to being a former anti-furry!

A more personal goal for me is to also raise awareness for mental health as I too struggle with it and want others to feel they are not alone. Things like positive affirmation or motivational/relatable quotes. I am very passionate about helping others and I think I've found a healthy way to do so in a positive way with the crew without exhausting my own mental health.

YESHUA: Always aiming higher is very respectable! I also respect your goal of somewhat bridging the gap between the furry fandom and car culture so that anyone can feel welcome in the Street Animals. And wow, hearing that a couple of folks came to have a better view of the fandom after talking about this topic on a stream is just so cool! As for raising awareness for mental health, that's another admirable goal. Honestly, all of this that you are working toward is just incredible. It's clear you've already made a positive impact for many people, and with your attitude and drive, I have no doubt you'll get to help many more!

Before we shift topics a bit, is there anything else about the Street Animals Club you'd like to share that we maybe didn't get to?

TIGERMOON: It looks like we covered everything but I'm sure there is more to come in the future for the crew as we continue to grow.

YESHUA: I believe ya! It'll be interesting revisiting the topic later on perhaps! Now I'd like to ask you about some of the other stuff you get up to in the fandom. You've briefly mentioned both TikTok and streaming, so I'm curious as to whether both of those are other big ways you participate in the fandom. Aside from Street Animals content, is there other stuff you like to create or do on these platforms? Or do you primarily stick to Street Animals content?

TIGERMOON: Yes! TikTok is what really peaked my content creation career. Although, I remember feeling a sense of disconnect because when I was only making videos everyone knew me but I didn't know everyone else. It felt weird to meet people in person at cons or in real life meets and they'd tell me about how I helped them but I never knew they existed until then if they were a lurker. I felt guilty having to tell them I didn't recognize them and wanted to change that so I decided to make a Discord server in 2019 and it's been active ever since. My DMs are usually always flooded so it's been a relief to have a place to interact with everyone at once so it's not so overwhelming for me to spend hours responding to all the dms.

Livestreaming on Twitch has been the funnest platform for me to interact with the community because I have a Vtuber model and I've integrated a throwing system where they can throw 3D Oreos at me or even my own car, Shadowmere haha. We have a ton of fun on streams whether it be just chatting or playing a variety of games. I try and stream when I can because I am introverted with a small social battery and I'm still getting used to talking for long periods of time but I hope to keep streaming and growing the server for many years to come as I appreciate my community so much and want to try and be as inclusive as possible.

My content regularly consists of my two main interests, the furry fandom and cars. I include relatable content or my personal random experiences in life with a touch of humor. I've made a couple 3D Animations with Tigermoon and Shadowmere but animations are rare as they usually take 8 - 12 hours to make. Occasionally, I make motivational content for others but also for when I need it as well.

Juggling the Street Animals crew, orders, content creation, the server and live streaming has been difficult since all take time but I am trying my best to give attention to each in a balanced routine.

YESHUA: It's great to hear your Discord server helped you better interact with those keeping up with your content! And that Twitch has been fun! I’ve always thought that streaming is a lot of fun so it’s awesome that you and your followers have a good time when you go live!

As for balancing all you do, it does sound a bit daunting, but it looks like you're doing quite well with it all! Taking care of yourself is very important too though, which I'm sure you know, but I hope you do get the chance to just take a breather sometimes!

Something else I'm curious about – just taking a moment to reflect on all you've done in the fandom as well as what you're aiming to do, how do you feel about having the platform you have now? Of course there's Street Animals, but just in general, how do you feel about being able to just share your experiences and have fun with this community you've grown?

TIGERMOON: I'm incredibly grateful for the community I've grown, even though I don't have as much time as I'd like to always be talking to everyone I really do try my best to fit in any time I can. Everyone I've met within the community has been so happy to be a part of it as well. It's a common thing that they tell me they feel they now have a place where they can be themselves fully. When they ask how they can repay me for helping, I simply tell them that existing is enough for me. I don't expect anyone to do anything in return, honestly. I'm already so thankful and appreciate everyone's time and for giving me this amazing opportunity to make a living helping others and doing what I love doing most.

With this large platform I have always made an effort to never put myself on a pedestal despite others naturally doing so because of the numbers on the screen. I treat everyone equally and value authenticity. The term "popufur" even bothers me at times since it feels like a rank and I feel guilty being forced to loom over others simply over the numbers on my profile. Unfortunately, this platform has also been a heavy weight on my shoulders with so many eyes on me and cancel culture being popular within this community. I often fear speaking about my own feelings and struggles. I never talk about politics, but as a natural overthinker, speaking about some struggles I personally have can feel like I'm giving ammunition to those who thrive on cancel culture. I'm working on being more vulnerable though because I want to continue to be honest about myself to continue to show others that numbers don't matter and I am still a person who struggles. So despite being the head of a community where others feel safe, I myself am still trying to build my own little spot inside it to feel safe. As the community grows and I make more connections I feel it becomes stronger so I know with time I will also improve and feel better.

YESHUA: It sounds like you have a very humble demeanor which is honestly very respectable! I'm sure folks appreciate how you view yourself as well as others, especially as someone who probably has people looking up to you. And I say that because it's just genuinely impressive how you faced a problem, and it led you to create something that not only helped you, but many others!

Stepping away from some of your main projects, I also notice that you do custom commissions – mostly for two types of items, but also some other stuff and even Street Animals merch! I'm very curious to hear more about these items and why you decided to offer them!

TIGERMOON: Yes I do! I love to design merchandise and put my skills as an artist into a fun challenge while also giving people the joy of holding a plush or whatever it may be in their hands. I used to design plush toys, pins and ita backpacks as a full, honestly over time job before Street Animals. I still take commissions for it and even have collaborated with many creators in helping them make their own merch for their audience to enjoy.

I haven't done any custom merch yet with the members of the crew but I do plan to make some sort of community pin collection series of either their cars or their sonas with their cars! It's been an idea for a while. I just need to figure out exactly what I want to start and keep it going. I am tempted to fund it all out of pocket myself but need to figure out if I'll be doing a small collection or a bigger one. I already have a place in the server where members can read an agreement where I am fully transparent on how their character will be used. I also plan to give each member that I end up making merch with a free copy of the merch to keep themselves.

YESHUA: Oh, interesting that you were doing these artistic projects before Street Animals! Furries do love their plushes and pins and backpacks, and I always find it so cool when artists like you give folks the chance to get something like that custom-made.

As for the crew, the pin collection series with people's sonas and their cars honestly sounds like such a cool concept! Once you get that rolling I'd honestly love to follow up on it! Sounds like a super neat way of keeping the community together.

Now, I had one more topic I wanted to chat about but, I know you went to AWU 2023 this year and had a Street Animals car meet, so before we get to that last topic I have in mind, I'm really curious to hear if you've got some highlights you'd like to share about the meet!

TIGERMOON: The meet was a blast! It seems like every year so far has surpassed my expectations. It genuinely was the best time at the con for me. Seeing everyone taking the time to walk across the street to check out the cars in the overflow parking lot was just incredible and meant a lot to me. We filled part of the parking lot and I was running around everywhere non stop trying to do my best to interact with everyone and make sure everyone was having a good time. I even made some fun videos with some fans. The con staff even joined in at some point and they personally talked to me thanking me for hosting it. Overall I hold the memories close to my heart as everyone's time is super valuable and the memories made that day will stay with me forever. I'm really hoping we can continue to make it an annual event at AWU!

Now that we have Street Animals affiliates rolling out and soon Street Animals ambassadors I am hoping the crew can continue to expand at a faster pace and we can spread to other cons for Street Animal panels and meet and greets!

YESHUA: Wow, it really sounds like everything came together perfectly for that meet! It's just seriously impressive seeing all this effort you've put into this sub-group and how it's still growing!

I was also curious about the Street Animals affiliates and ambassadors, yeah! You say you hope to expand the crew to other cons and to have other meet and greets; is that the main goal of having affiliates and ambassadors? Or is there more to it?

TIGERMOON: One of the things I hope to inspire is success within the crew. The Street Animals Affiliate program both helps expand the group and pays the crew member for representing the group. They are required to have a Street Animals banner on their vehicle, once approved by me I create their own unique links and codes just for them so they can share it. Using these links or codes gives the people using it a discount in the store. Every sale that the Affiliate helps make within the store I pay them a percentage of commission as well. I always wanted to show my appreciation for everyone and this is one of the ways I have found to do so by quite literally paying them! I'd love to see them use the money to buy car parts or save up for a dream car.

With Street Animals Ambassadors it's a step higher. Ambassadors will have the opportunity to be paid, as a gift they will receive special exclusive custom merch showing they are a Street Animals Ambassador. Ambassadors will be hand picked crew members who are most involved in the community, helping with local car meets, panels and helping others within the community.

YESHUA: Sounds like you've really taken the time to develop a system that will be beneficial for everyone involved! I'm super interested to see how this is going way down the line, so it might make for a good follow-up! I'm especially curious to see how this expands the Street Animals around the country, which, I'm assuming that's the reach? Or is it worldwide, even? A map pinning locations where Street Animals has a presence could be cool!

You mentioned affiliates are rolling out and ambassadors are coming soon. 2024 just started, so at this point, what's left to be done before both of these programs are fully up and running? Whatever you can share, of course!

TIGERMOON: Yes, it's been in the works for a while now and I'm excited to finally see it in action!

The crew is worldwide and yes the goal is to further expand the crew awareness. The more members there are the more likely they can find local connections and find friendships easier. I recently added each US state's own group chat in my server and region chat so it's easier to connect and host meets locally. A map pinning locations would be a fun idea! I know we have members in Japan, Germany, Italy, the UK and many more internationally!

I don't have a date as to when Ambassadors will be chosen since I plan to privately direct message members through time, but anyone can apply to be an Affiliate as of now, furry or not. So long as they have the love and passion for Street Animals and cars.

YESHUA: Ah okay! So you're really focusing on the idea of people connecting close to home. Honestly, this is something that's not seen with a ton of groups in the fandom. Not that it's a bad thing, but it's just really cool how you're moving forward with this goal so fast! Even having members in several countries? Heck, I'd genuinely love to see a map of just how far reaching Street Animals is!

As for the Ambassadors, that's totally fair. I just wish you the best with this new approach! It really would be interesting to revisit it at some point to see its progress!

Now before we get into the actual final topic I want to touch on, is there anything else about Street Animals you'd like to share? Or do you think we covered it all pretty well?

TIGERMOON: Yes exactly, I've had many members tell me, "There's no one I know where I live. I feel like the only person here." and it's heartbreaking because I know how that feels. I know many people today struggle with finding people with similar interests to befriend and I myself had that issue here in Utah. It's crucial to have at least one friend to be happy with and have someone to talk to.

Something Street Animals taught me is that no matter how introverted, anti-social or reserved you are, everyone needs some sort of real life human connection. When you have friends to go on a therapeutic midnight cruise with or talk about cars for hours it really lifts up your mental health and is a relief from the stresses of life. At least that's what it did for me. I had struggled with derealization and depression due to the lack of in real life social interaction and despite my direct messages flooding and having thousands of followers, I felt so lonely. It felt like no one really knew me because online they only see what you post and most people post the best moments of themselves. At that moment, I was too scared to be more vulnerable with my emotions and when I was I would play it off with a 3D animation and claim it was just a lore post. I also was struggling with the idea of not knowing others as well. It's just so weird to think that there's someone out there I've impacted so much, yet I don't know they exist. It makes me feel guilty. It started to go away slowly once I devoted my weekends to going to social events or a canyon cruise at least once. So when someone comes to me feeling sad that they don't know anyone around it's another reminder and boost of motivation. I have actively been working to change it and encourage more connections and a diverse community that helps each other up. Safety is important of course which is why the meets are hosted in public areas and businesses are notified there will be a group meet.

We've made a lot of progress since 2021 and I am confident to say we have a crew member in every state in the US. There's just so many reasons for me to keep improving and growing the crew and it's not for the money or fame. It's the fact that it's genuinely helping people and that's something I've always wanted to do, so much so I almost joined the national guard for an aviation rescue career because I was trying to figure out how to do so haha.

YESHUA: It's awesome seeing how you listen to folks in your group! Trying to tackle a problem like people not having others to connect with in real life sounds like no easy task; it's definitely a common feeling for many – myself included – but it's inspiring seeing how you've made so much progress to address this while incorporating your personal interests!

I'm sorry to hear about the struggles you've personally had, but it's also amazing how you've stayed focused on your main goal with the Street Animals crew! It's growing so much and still growing! I'm sure you know this, but please remember to keep taking care of yourself as well!

We've spent a lot of time talking about what you currently get up to in the fandom as well as what you want to do, so for the last little bit of the interview, I'm curious to hear about how you got started in the fandom. How long ago did you join and what was it about the community that interested you enough to become part of it?

TIGERMOON: I feel like I've been a furry for almost my whole life honestly and it all really started when I would draw comics at the age of 10 in elementary school inspired by the Warrior Cats manga. I was the quiet kid that would draw cats too much and write horribly written fantasy books in the hallways during recess when I had no one to play with. It was really an escape and coping mechanism from an imperfect childhood I just was too young to understand or let alone deal with. I would surround myself with fantasy and it was always an adventure inside my mind to creatively draw or write stories. It was what really brought me joy and peace at the time internally.

On February 4, 2011, I created Tigermoon. She originated from a fantasy game called World of Warcraft as a Night Elf Druid, that explains why I say she's a shapeshifter. Her character developed through time as I would write books of her badly written lore and change her design dramatically to what she is now today, only leaving a few hints of her origins with the crescent moons on her shoulders, her long saber teeth and purple eye markings. Tigermoon literally has grown up with me, she was present in the darkest times of my childhood so I have a very deep connection to her as my character.

The first introduction to the furry fandom was a video I watched in 2016 of Telephone called "Communication Issue." It was the first time my parents let me access YouTube and I was really curious about the fursuits. That's when I started to look into what a furry was. I stumbled onto the worst articles at first but as I continued my research and watched more videos I saw the true side of the fandom that the world seems to constantly ignore out of misunderstanding. I didn't join the community until January 2017 when I installed an app called Furry Amino. As I started to chat with members and make posts frequently I decided to try and make a fursuit of my own. My mom was actually curious about the fandom when I showed her the videos of Telephone and surprisingly supported the idea of me making a fursuit. I watched one tutorial but was grounded from the internet for reasons I can't remember and conveniently it was when I finally got all the supplies to make a fursuit head. I was too excited to wait and ended up rushing the head and finishing it within a week with only watching the tutorial once. She was glued not sewn nor shaved so it was a fluffy disaster but she held on somehow. Definitely not how you should make a head haha, when I refurbished another suit I had in 2020 I took my time. Art has always been my main passion in the fandom and the fandom gave me the opportunity to create and make a career out of what I love, the rest is history.

YESHUA: Nice to hear that from a young age just the concept of anthro animals has been an interest that was not only enjoyable, but actually helped you as you grew up! As for actually getting into the fandom, I don't know why, but there's something neat about folks stepping into the fandom thanks to some simple events -- in your case, finding Telephone's video and joining Furry Amino! That's actually how I joined myself so I definitely relate there! It's also great hearing how excited you were to make your fursuit head, even if it was rushed! Again, it's just nice hearing about that enthusiasm folks have when they're new in the fandom, especially with those who reach such big heights! It's been a real honor and pleasure getting to talk to you about what you do in the fandom and reflecting on how you got here, so thanks so much for your time! Do you have any final remarks as we close out the interview?

TIGERMOON: I really appreciate your time as well! Well, I just would love to remind anyone who's reading this interview to take care of yourselves, mental health is incredibly important. Keep pursuing the things that make you happy in life and be kind to everyone around you because everyone has their own issues no matter how perfect it may seem especially for content creators. Your kindness could change anyone's life for the better and cause ripples of positivity and positive change in the world.

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That’s all for the first Character Interview segment of the year! I hope you all enjoyed getting to know more about Tigermoon and her involvement in the fandom! If you want to keep up with her, or if you’re a car enthusiast–whether you’ve been one or are just getting into it–be sure to follow her on one of her socials!

If you have someone you’d like me to chat with on this segment, reach out to me and lemmino! I’m always looking for cool folks in the fandom to interview!

Hoping to be back soon with another interview, but until then, take care!

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CONVENTION CALENDAR

Happy New Year, readers! I’m Shetani, your Convention Calendar segment host, wishing you all a great start to 2024. If you’ve made a resolution to get more involved in the furry community, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to find out about all the furry conventions and events happening online, around the world, and in your neck of the woods!

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The sixth Anthro Northwest is being held at the Hyatt Regency Seattle in Seattle, Washington, USA from Thursday January 4 - Sunday January 7. This year’s theme is Family! ANW will once again raise donations for the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center, which rescues and rehabilitates wild animals in need with the goal of returning them to their natural habitats. Various furry personalities will be doing doodles for donations to the charity, a great opportunity to take home a memorable keepsake while doing some good! ANW’s planned events include a furry film festival, fursuit exhibition, dance competition and dance battles, art and photography gallery, and young furs photo scavenger hunt.

Website | Twitter | Telegram

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Japan Meeting of Furries will be happening that same weekend, Thursday January 4 - Sunday January 7, on the other side of the ocean. If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, don’t worry about who you’re gonna call - head straight to the Loisir Hotel Toyohashi in Aichi, Japan, as JMoF’s theme this year is Ghostbusters! Kemono illustrator Ryota Murayama is the Guest of Honor, and will give multiple talks throughout the convention. Attendees should make it a point to visit the charity raffle and exhibition raising funds for the Toyohashi Zoo & Botanical Park. JMoF also plans a live rock festival, animal history exhibition, photo contest, escape room, dead dog party, and many more panels, all of which can be viewed in the schedule on their website.

If you’re feeling bummed out because you don’t live near Japan, never fear! You can still attend VR JMoF, the virtual edition of the con! Hosted in VRChat and Resonite on the same dates as the physical event, VR JMoF is free of charge, and no VR headset is required. The VR con has its own event schedule, including games, meetups, panels, and mixed reality interactions between the physical and virtual worlds, so please visit their website below to plan your experience and how to access the online space.

Website - Physical con | Website - Online con | Twitter | Facebook

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Party time is starting with Painted Desert Fur Con, located in sunny Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel will be taken over by the convention’s Carnivale theme between Thursday January 4 - Sunday January 7. Furries can get to meet, patronize, and learn from PDFC’s four Guests of Honor: fursuit maker Heads & Tails Studios, artist Lilli Sketch, multi-genre publisher and distributor Fenris Publishing, and bathing and costume supply vendor Soap Pony. The Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary is happy to partner with PDFC as their charity for another year, and once again aim to raise $7,500 in donations to build houses for over 400 African Sulcata tortoises! In addition to all that, leave some room in your schedule for fun events such as kandi trading, miniatures wargames, dance workshops, a white elephant gift exchange, and meetups for every group under the Arizonan sun.

Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook

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Come on down to Further Confusion at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California, USA from Thursday January 11 - Monday January 15. Continuing from the Millennium Edition theme of last year, 2024’s theme “Pixelated” evokes memories of retro gaming and all its associated wonders. Further Confusion offers a dealer’s den, artist alley, and night market for all your furry retail therapy needs! Don’t miss the FurCon Unleashed talent show, Bay Battle dance tournament, fursuit parade, art show, and nightly DJ’d dances. This year, FC is serving up a Fancy Friday ticketed tea party, which will feature a selection of desserts, coffees, and teas, and for which fancy dress attire is strongly encouraged. The Further Confusion charity partner for 2024 is The Bill Wilson Center, a non-profit providing housing, education, counseling, and advocacy for and to homeless youth, so make sure to visit the charity auction and pick up some great art or memorabilia for a worthy cause.

Website | Twitter | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook

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Have a grand time in the snow at Midwinter Frolic from Friday January 12 - Sunday January 14! This furry winter camping event is held at Whitewater State Park in Altura, Minnesota, USA. Midwinter Frolic prides itself as a communal event, with meals cooked by staff and campers, and attendees encouraged to host their own events and activities. Whether you’d like to hike the open trails, frolic in the snow with fursuited friends, or game and draw indoors by the cozy fire, Midwinter Frolic provides a setting for lasting memories. Please note that there is no Wi-Fi provided and cell phone service is often very spotty due to the mountainous location. You must be over 18 years old to attend Midwinter Frolic, and provide either CDC proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative clinical test result.

Website | Twitter |Facebook

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Can you feel a chill sweeping in? It’s a Nor’Eastah at Anthro New England 2024! This celebrated furry convention returns to the Westin Boston Seaport Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, with 2024’s iteration taking place Thursday January 18 - Sunday January 21. This year’s ANE Guests of Honor are musician DJ WOOZIE, illustrator Declan Mouse, and designer/illustrator Wolf of HOWL OUT. For the second year in a row, one of ANE’s charities is Youth on Fire, a drop-in center for homeless and street-involved youth which provides supplies, resources, and services. The other is Wings of the Dawn, an all-volunteer wildlife rehabilitation center and bird sanctuary. Keep an eye out for the fursuiter bucket brigade, who will be prancing around con space collecting donations for these worthy causes. There’s plenty to see and do at Anthro New England, including panels, nightly dances with DJs, a live Animal Music concert, Dragon’s Dojo dance battles, a variety show, and of course, expansive Dealer’s Den and Artist’s Alley. They’re also adding a night market this year, which is guaranteed to fill up fast, so get there early! ANE is requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination and face masks to be worn in all convention spaces.

Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram

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CanthroFur will return to the Domaine des Puys holiday village in Saint-Sauves-d'Auvergne, France for the second time from Friday January 19 - Monday January 22. Fancy yourself a snow bunny? You can hop on the CanthroFur reserved coach to the Mont-Dore ski resort and hit the slopes, or take advantage of the exciting fursuit photo opportunity! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hot cocoa will be served to attendees who register at the full board accommodation level. Check the schedule on CanthroFur’s website to start planning your weekend, whether you’re interested in the panels, games, karaoke, DJ dances, or photoshoots. CanthroFur attendees must be at least 18 years old and present a valid photo ID. Registration for 2024 has already closed.

Website | Twitter | Telegram | Instagram

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Finally, Little Island Furcon online takes place Saturday January 20, held on Discord and Twitch! Though an in-person version of the con will be held in Singapore later this year, con staff continues to host a separate online convention yearly for folks who can’t come to the physical event - good on them! By registering for free on the LIFC website, attendees will receive a commemorative digital badge and a link to the Discord server, where your experience will totally take flight with their theme of “To the Skies.” There’s so much to do at LIFCO, including panels, movies, an interactive mukbang, livestreams, and all your favorite multiplayer games from Phasmophobia to Team Fortress 2. Let’s not forget the online Dealer’s Den of art commissions and merchandise you can have delivered digitally or right to your door!

Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram

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This month's calendar graphic is coming soon. In the meantime, Shetani (that's me!) will be attending our two aforementioned online cons, Little Island Furcon Online and VR Japan Meeting of Furries, in January. I love meeting furries from all around the world, so if you see me at either con, please say hi!

It looks like the global furry community is starting the new year off strong! The rest of 2023 is sure to be filled with exciting events, and of course, you know where to check to learn all about them. Stay tuned to Furry Weekly for announcements of more online conventions, and don’t forget to keep up with booster shots and wear your face mask when meeting up with any furs in-person.

Got questions or suggestions for Convention Calendar? Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter and the Fediverse, or contact me at any of the other platforms linked on my website. If there’s an upcoming con you want to ensure we cover here on Furry Weekly, don’t hesitate to let me know. Have fun and stay safe out there!

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FURRY QUOTE

Hello, everyone! This is Danielle coming back with a surprise appearance. Welcome back to a new year of Furry Quote! 2024 is here, and what a great way to dive into an inspirational quote to start off the new year with. Let’s take a look.

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


Sadly, this can be easier said than done. There are many life lessons waiting for us to grow from; some sooner than others. When you fill your mind with thoughts of faith and victory, the right feelings will follow. One way to do this is by practicing gratitude, and each day will gradually get better and better. It’s a potential way to help uplift yourself. Once you feel more uplifted, then your heart can start living every day as the best day in the year. You’ll be able to handle the chaos that’s going around you with a sense of peace rather than it acting as unhealthy pressure.

~~~~~


This concludes this week’s Furry Quote. I hope it brought you a positive vibe to lean into the new year with.

If you have a topic you’d like to have covered or a quote you’d like to have shared, feel free to reach out to the main host of Furry Quote: Multifurse.

Thank you for reading this far, and we’ll see you all again next time!

Sincerely, Danielle (LycanRaptor)


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