There was a period of time in the life of deviantART where enormous pressure was placed on our team for an extended period of time that exceeded the concept of high stress, commitment, determination and above average will.

In some circles it is recognized that start-up companies go through perhaps their most challenging pains in year two and three. If you've made it that far in a start-up, the idea is good, the business has reached some amount of validation and what you're left with is the challenge and responsibility of seeing it through its most formative years.

At deviantART we faced this challenge with no outside capital, we relied entirely upon our gracious and hugely supportive and loyal community to help us through the most trying of times. And to be blunt we relied upon and tested the raw guts of our core leaders in the company to take charge of a few critical areas and to perform for deviantART above and beyond any other responsibilities.

From my personal perspective two names in particular were the knights in shining armor within this team during that exact time period. There was $chris our chief architect whose determination and sheer capacity to handle the most challenging horror of a 60-hour work day, cycle after cycle for months on end. And there was *spot who has since coined the internal pet name of "The Magic Man."

I can't find the words in me to illustrate this situation properly but I'll give it a shot. Spot's start here was for almost no pay, living in his cousin's closet. It wasn't even a walk-in closet it was just a closet with a sleeping bag on the floor. A 40-hour work day was average, the stress was so intense you could feel it directly deducting hours from your life. The kind of effort that you can't ask somebody for. They either have that drive and that passion or they don't.

*spot was there any time day or night for deviantART under circumstances that are hard to understand. But what's more to this and why it is my privilege to write this official departure note is that he was very much there for me. A critical force of balance and a direct force on the matters that spelled the difference between success and failure.

If you ever wanted a good example of a guy who could take the most intense heat and see it through, as they say. You have no idea.

You have no idea. In fact, I don't think I'd wish it on you to have such insight.


Today is *spot's last day at deviantART

At some point last year *spot approached me about a concept he had for a company he wanted to start with the experience and knowledge he had gained while here along with his past and present experiences.

It takes guts to start a new venture, so as you can imagine I wasn't worried.

I look forward to a continued friendship with *spot and once his new project is launched he'll have our full support here at deviantART.

I'm not so good with farewells, *spot remains an adviser for a time to come so he isn't really too far from us.


A Community Wide Thank You

I'd like to request a warm farewell for *spot if you feel so inclined. Drop by his user page, send him some and and well wishing on his new project. Also please +heart this news article.

The official tag of "The Magic Man" will be applied to *spot's user account. But in the books as far as I'm concerned he will also go down as an Honorary Co-Founder of deviantART.


We will miss you *spot, even if only from a short distance.

Thank You.