-------------------

-------------------

For the launch of our new "Interview With the Anthro" news series, the =Anthro-Alliance has interviewed ^skifi and ^cooley, our Anthro Gallery Directors! Ever wondered just what makes these two great volunteers tick? Well now you can find out!


-------------------
Skifi
-------------------

1.) What drew you to join deviantART?
Well, I first started drawing in 2002 when I met some awesome artists in a forum called The Crystal Palace and I learnt a lot from those skilled friends I made there. Then, some of them moved to a new fancy online gallery called "deviantART", and since all their opinions about the site were positive, I guess I just followed them, first to not miss their new pictures, then to upload there myself too. I could mention a few of them, like *weremagnus, ~starluck, or *leksbronks, but in fact they're more than a dozen still here!

2.) What did you expect your term of Anthro Gallery Director would be like?
When I first thought about becoming a Gallery Director, I asked $Moonbeam13 what should I do if I were one of them. Even if the list of duties is quite long, it can be summarized in a few words: Support the community. Since I joined deviantART, I have tried my best to help people here as much as other person has helped me. I try my best to reply every comment or note I get, and to answer any question I receive. I try to encourage the new artists, and try to learn from the talented ones. I have made many friends here too, and I feel my skills have improved too. Believe it or not, some of the duties a Gallery Director needed to do, I was already doing them, so the change has not been too hard, and now I will be happy if the Anthro Artists feel I'm doing something well to make them feel cared for, supported, and encouraged

3.) Thus far, has being a AGD met/not met/exceeded your expectations, and why?
So far, I could have never imagined how many things I was going to need to care for When I knew nothing about this, I thought your duties were to care for the gallery, keep it clean from miscats, and give the DDs awards.... and now I realize how hard it is, and how complicated to mantain a huge site like DeviantART is It has been a challenge, but also that has encouraged me more to try my best, and for the feedback I have received, I may be doing it not too horrible, lol. It takes more time than I was expecting it to do, but the reward, the feeling of being useful, and the support all the anthro community gives me (even more than the support I try to give them), makes me feel me more than grateful. I am still sad thinking this will end after a year, because even if keeping you busy, it becomes addictive, but.... well, all good things need to end, and I bet the next GDs will be awesome too

4.) Why anthro? How long have you been an anthro fan?
In the mentioned above Crystal Palace board, the artists used to draw anthropomorphic creatures, and since I learnt art form them, that's what I got used to draw too. I guess it became natural for me, since I have never taken art classes or lessons, aside the common ones you get at school when you're a kid, and since it all started in 2002, 5 years ago, we could say that's how long I have been into the fandom.

5.) If you had to classify yourself, would you describe yourself as "anthro", "furry", "therian", or "other", and why?
I consider myself too complicated to be classified, hahaha I enjoy what I draw, and my main character, the brown bull I feature in my pictures, we could say his personality is also mine..... But aside that, character and artist are not the same. At least for me. I guess it's hard to name a feeling, or to classify somebody in a few categories, and since I don't feel the need to do it, I didn't really try to figure out my place.

6.) What has thus far been the focus of your AGD duties? Do you enjoy them?
The Anthro Gallery has a special place in deviantART, aside form the main digital or traditional art galleries. It's because Anthro Art has always been considered as a whole subject and not as a sub-cat of other styles. For that reason, we have our own "island" but also that has been a handicap since the Anthro Artists have not always felt integrated in the whole deviantART community, and that's what I have always wanted to improve. For example, the last dA 7th birthday, we supported a contest involving the whole place, all galleries, and since we were part of it, it was nice to see how non-anthro artists had a new chance to understand and enjoy this kind of art, and also how anthro-artists felt valued and appreciated. There are some stereotypes and prejudices about anthro that I want to solve, and if I can get people to know what does Anthro Art is, and how to appreciate it, even if you don’t' draw it, my goal will be done ^^

7.) Going forward, what do you hope to accomplish during your term as AGD?
Hahaha, I guess I have answered this question in the previous one. But I also guess I have secondary goals, like to create a database with some useful tutorials about Anthro Art and how to do it, to get artists involved in the community with contests, games and projects in common, to promote Anthro Art out of our own gallery, and also to sort and re-build the Anthro Gallery structure with a new, easier way to sort the pictures.

8.) As a whole, what do you hope to see accomplished for deviantART, whether it be by your own hand or through the work of others?
I would love if deviants, artists and art appreciators, realized this is a place made for them, and by them. As in every place huge like this, ok, there are staff members and some administrators, but the hard core of the system are the artists themselves. Without them, deviantART means nothing, and sometimes they forget it. The same, the GDs are here to serve them, to make the place better, to improve it, and also to help them and let them help us. I know it's hard to change people's mind, but if they all were able to realize this fact, and how all together we make this place every day better and better, it would be wonderful. Utopic? Maybe, but it's what I hope to see accomplished for the site.

9.) If you could change places with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Nobody, really. I'm far, far away from perfection, but I like my weak points, and I know I do mistakes every day but also learn from them. I wouldn't change myself.... if any, I would change my location because, for some reason, I live far far away from my best friends, specially *seel-dingo (whenever I wanna meet her, it's 14 hours in a plane, lol).... but aside that, I like how I am so far

10.) What do you look for when picking Anthro Daily Deviations? What types of deviations would you like to see suggested to you?
This is a hard question I need to ask myself every day. As you have surely realized, I may be the most picky GD in the whole site since it has become hard to see DDs featured by me. I guess a picture can deserve this award not only for the drawing itself or for the skills shown, but also for the art itself, in all its variegated ways, or to award an artist for a special piece or a special improvement. I guess I tend to think people like to see awesome things featured with the DD award, and I expect nothing less than that. Some of them I also agree they don't reach that standard, but since I don't get too many suggestions, I need to lower the level from time to time... but if somebody sends me a note with a link to a picture with a nice composition, a good style, a balanced overall, and something making it too really special, I say it has many chances to get a DD from me *hint hint*

-------------------
Cooley
-------------------

1.) What drew you to join deviantART?
My friend ~Fugiri-Shi told me I should join. At the time we were both attending Digipen and all the art students were doing it. I heard it was a good site to draw in freelance work too.

2.) What did you expect your term of Anthro Gallery Director would be like?
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect. I knew gallery directors set Daily Deviation awards, but it was not until later in the application process that I learned more about the position.

3.) Thus far, has being AGD met/not met/exceeded your expectations, and why?
It's a little overwhelming at times, but it has exceeded my expectations. The position has proved to be quite rewarding. I get to organize events, meet new people and make a difference.

4.) Why anthro? How long have you been an anthro fan?
The anthro gallery was a bit of a surprise. When I first applied for the gallery director's position, I had no preference. Later $Moonbeam13 asked me if I were interested in the anthro gallery and I jumped on it. I was a fan of anthro art before it had the official "anthro" title. I liked to draw my school-friends as animals that suited their personalities.

5.) If you had to classify yourself, would you describe yourself as "anthro", "furry", "therian", or "other", and why?
I suppose "anthro" as in "anthro artist" is appropriate. Therian interests me but I am not therian, and I'm not a furry either. I'm still learning about the different "classifications" as I go.

6.) What has thus far been the focus of your GD duties? Do you enjoy them?
I've filed through several different goals as the anthro gallery director. At first I was trying to define "anthro" b/c there's a lot of confusion surrounding the title. Thereafter I wanted to make a public access point for the whole anthro community, which became the #IamAnthro chat. (This chat is not just for therians or furries, it's for everyone with a common interest in anthro art.). I have enjoyed all of these and look forward to more projects in the future.

7.) Going forward, what do you hope to accomplish during your term as GD?
I want to see the anthro community to come together as an established group of artists. Before ^skifi or I were gallery directors, the anthro gallery had been without a GD at all for quite some time. Sometimes people frown upon anthro art but I hope that when my term is up they will respect it just like any other gallery. We deserve it.

8.) As a whole, what do you hope to see accomplished for deviantART, whether it be by your own hand or through the work of others?
I want the people of dA to realize how powerful we are when we band together. This site has thousands of members and when we come together as a group - say for a community project or charity event - we are capable of great things.

9.) If you could change places with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Anyone? That's a difficult question. I'm rather content being me, knowing that I'm capable of learning and doing more if I just apply myself.

10.) What do you look for when picking Anthro Daily Deviations? What types of deviations would you like to see suggested to you?
I want to see something unique and anatomically accurate. Wolf anthros are great, but often over-done. I want to see snail anthros, trees, things we don't always think about as anthro.


-------------------

-------------------

How to Suggest Daily Deviations
By ^cooley :

Before you send me Daily Deviation Award suggestions, make sure you have the right gallery director. I'm an anthro GD, therefore I only take anthro DD suggestions. If you are unsure of what anthro is, please read this brief article.

Title your note "DD Suggestion."
Include a link to the piece.
Tell me why you think it deserves a DD (optional).
Do not complain if I don't respond or feature it.
I prefer unknown artists (optional).
If you have a problem with a DD I featured, note me. Do NOT leave negative messages on the image.