deviantARTtimes April 12th, 2009

Community News

A Saddened Community

Eulogy by 0SupermarineSpitfire

I first met Amy dualdesigns in 2004 when I joined the support group Circleoffriends that she had started a while before. At the time I wasn't myself in need of support, but was interested in trying to help out other people. After about a year, I was asked to become a moderator for one of the notes groups, and got to know Amy and the other mods a bit better. Since the summer of 2008 I've also been acting as one of the administrators for the group, alongside termagen and MelissaGriffin

Amy would be the first to admit that she's had a tough life... several bad relationships, struggling to raise her kids, plus several long battles with illness. But throughout all of that, and in spite of occasionally dropping off the radar, she has never stopped being there for the people that she cared for - and she cared about a lot of people here on dA and elsewhere. Circleoffriends was her baby, and she was determined to use it to make a difference, to show that we could come together to help people out and make their lives better. I have been privileged to have helped to play a part in making her dream a reality, in spite of many pitfalls and changes over the years.

I've never spoken about this publicly before... but in the years that I've known Amy, I also came to help her out many times, both emotionally and financially. We became very close through IM and Facebook, as well as on dA. I was frequently her stress-relief for all of the problems she was having in her personal life, and her worries about the future for herself and her two boys. So it was all the more gut-wrenching to find out a few days ago that she was gone... she had posted on my Facebook wall just a few days earlier.

Amy touched so many people's hearts during her time here. I know I speak for all of us who had the privilege to know her, when I say that she will be sorely missed, both for her friendship and her compassion.

So lets all of us remember this Angel of a deviant and pray for her family and friends... We will not say goodbye to dualdesigns because some of us will never let her be forgotten.


1. Community Operations

Community Operations Newsletter - January 2009


1.1 CEA

For all CEA-related news, check out realitysquared, y2jenn, damphyr and/or rbstorm.


1.2 Help & FAQ

Read the Weekly Helpdesk Updates - March 20th, 2009.
Weekly Tip: None this week.
Random FAQ: FAQ #824: What is the difference between a Prepaid Core Membership Package and a Billing one?


1.3 dAmn

This regular news article promises to make you giggle, chortle, and laugh your ass off: The LOL Corner. Wait, no LOL Corner this week?
5 great rooms of the week to visit: WeEmote, :#askandshare:, :#dapensioneers:, :#thephotoshop: & #Trivia


2. Community Relations

Community Relations Newsletter - March 2009.


2.1 Staff News

A list of Open Volunteer Positions can be found here.
A list of the current Community Relations team can be found here.


2.2 Contests

Jules' & Manda's Incredible Vexel Contest #2 - Deadline April 24, 2009
The Copycat Competition - Deadline April 30, 2009
adidas Fingerpainting Contest - Deadline May 15, 2009
Wacom presents "Bring your vision to life" - Deadline May 29, 2009
Art History Contest - Art Nouveau - Deadline May 31, 2009
Anthro Collaboration Contest - Deadline June 6, 2009
Fractals and the Outside World - Deadline June 6, 2009
Kick Your Own A$$ - Deadline June 28, 2009


2.3 Food For Thought

Digital Artists and Stock - do you play nice?
Message Center MSG Limits; Need Community Feedback
Profile & Page Modules: Let's Talk


2.4 dAfilm

How do I submit to the film community?
deviantART Film Stock




3. dA Shop News

Check out the Cutting Edge works your fellow print artists have submitted in the past week!

Deviant News

1. Contests

Dear Pen Pal Contest.
Start date: April 10, 2009
End date: May 15, 2009
Hosted by: mode-de-vie

Spring Contest: Open to all mediums
Start date: April 10, 2009
End date: May 30, 2009
Hosted by: CMC42

Art Against Hatred & Violence Contest!
Start date: April 8, 2009
End date: July 1, 2009
Hosted by: BaB-Jane

Anniversary Contest
Start date: April 9, 2009
End date: May 9, 2009
Hosted by: Fotus9

Otherside Contest
Start date: April 7, 2009
End date: April 30, 2009
Hosted by: VirginPrune

Abstract Light Contest
Start date: April 4, 2009
End date: May 10, 2009
Hosted by: Abstract--Reality


2. Food For Thought

Give Stock Artists the RIGHT CREDIT.
How To Create A Portfolio Website
Marketing Your Portfolio Website


3. devMeets

4/24 SoCal devMEET at D. M. Gremlin Open House!
23rd May Toronto devMEET


4. Interviews

Behind The Symbol with agorf
Behind The Symbol with Grandchild
JM Incredible Vexel Contest #1 Winner Interview!
Over To You...HerreVermeer!
Over To You...pullingcandy!
Interview with Erik Jones

Resources

1. Tutorials




2. Stock Accounts

dull-stock
Drezdany-stocks
InKi-Stock


3. Food For Thought

Friday FumZ Frenzy - Space
Stock and Awe 33
24 in 24 #5

For more resources-related news click here.

In Other News...

1. Announcements

1.1 Birthdays

Sunday, April 12:
     AnimeNeko123,     Anja-da-Noite,    bright-nature,     Broken-Moons,     Catherinex13,     Chazy12,     Chazychazgirl12,     NuffieArts,     crystalbandicoot,     d-mon,     darkheartspirit,     DeaconBlues,     desenko,     DieTotePuppe,     DoNiA-xD,     elusive,     fancycake,     Frootyness,     GermanCityGirl,     Goldy-Gry,     GreyHawk12345,     KaelNgu,     KatGurl14,    ke-re,     KinopioT,     kshortt,     littlecat,     Maxmaraa,     midnightgem,     mido4design,     Natalie-loves-Stitch,     Neko-Tan,     Notdeadyet101,     Oragami-Konan,     pirate-skulls,     Sagarainside,     Saywill,     sergeantstan,     Sissadora,     slud,     Sneaks77,     sonicfreakgurl,     taylor12345,     lauren-bennett,     Tohsaki,     xBiohazardxZombiex,     Yahuli,     yamiyalo
    
Monday, April 13:
     0wc4,     AithneSilverwolf,     angelaobscura,     angelum,     Azamond,     babystarr,     BenPerkins,     Chari-Artist,     convergence,     Devil-man-josh,     digitalia413,     Paula-Rosa,     flyingpeachbun,     gomos,     JamesBardolph,     Jewzeejew,     JoScene,     Lazytea,     lenden,     lessthanmore,     LeytonC,     leannetran,     moonywerecat,     mord,     nammir,     neo-21670,     neopuff,     reonz,      Sakalah,     salgada,     shinjukudemon,     Sigmund-SL,     spamsicle,     Sweetypie1936,    EllenEinkauf

Tuesday, April 14:
     AMXXMA,     angelozi,     AnjoDoDesespero,     AutumnrainChaos,     blackieneko,     bubbleslayer,     burning-angel,     ButterflyBlew,     crazydancer,     DarkLolly,     darklyartistic,     dinchan,     FairyCosmo,     Galvorn,     gemstones,     Golanlan,     Harka,     JooRocks,     kenveevee,     Kerwinm12345,     Karmali,     kramer989,     Kyuu-The-Fox,     LadyFromEast,     LimeChild,     LawnyJ,     Mana-EXE,     mouselady,     Nyoom,     Pitchounette,     poukura,     preppie16,     ProjectWicca,     Raptorix,     Sailor-Moon-Ranger,     sancaminada,     she-sins,     shokki,     skeletoon,     smeatherlot,      VampireKat22,     xxdisciplexx,     xXxWhIsPeRxXx,     yanni-must-die,     yokopoko
    
Wednesday, April 15:
     alien-cookies,      amlug-nahim,     SunsetCollie,     androgynous,     Soyo-Kaze-Studio,     Blade-Buster-Cloud,     cloude,     crazyfinn,     Dangerangelchick,     ewejka,     gz12wk,     heylove,     Icarus-Has-Fallen,     Itsuka,     Jacob041593,     kkreiger,     kukalive,     LillyPurpleHair,     LoFu,     Lolli-Chan,     lollige,     luckycyberbunny,     mark1315,     necrodh,     NenaLuna,     peakn,     punkisstillcool:,     Q8Toba,     quinteros-lama,     MewberryCake,     khallix,     BigBad-Red,     redthemusiclvr15,     Sakura2811,     xTRIGGERNOMETRY,     Sharkyjake,     ShebaKoby,     shocktart,     SilverSkittles49,     Snozzle666,     lacelungs,     theishinphish,     theravens596,     Truten,     tyhopho,     VanillaKnight,     vannizz,     xSteam-Punkx,    zwartekat
    
Thursday, April 16:
     12hc12,     Akkii-chan,     Andresita,     angelnablackrobe,     arachnid15,     AtariLover-2600,     aurorelle,     bizarrismo,     ClawsOfSteel,     Dew32,     ForsakenChld,     ghostedone,     Inuibuki,     jestercat,     jpupbobwoffyluvr,     kalifornikasyon,     kobbie3,     koukla97,     Krmysaur,     writerism,     MashiTheInsane,     melancholiakristine,     Mirlin,     MissRedRose,     Norke,     Porcelain-Requiem,     riamali,     roboid,     Sephiroth-018,     shar-vampire,     SiliceB,     sneakysnickerz,     srtapolyester,     Uchiha-Yuki,     yugimotofan,     yukiruazu,     YumiofApeEscape3
    
Friday, April 17:
     4evrWolfluver,     Allij92,     alyn,     biggbuckz,     Felynea,     Brouk,     CartoonsRuleTheEarth,     CCBroiler,     CharlK,     kchilt,     darkmatterzone,     DebatableSanity,     dontachos,     FF-n-FMA,     FrozenGothDreams,     gerardxway94,     graveland69,     greenlinkday,     guilty-mind,     h2so4,     HappyLeech,     Holdtancos,     ilovegravy,     Jardins-sous-la-plui,     jellyd,     jezebe11e,     KiraFan,     lucasdielokomotive,     mitts,     person1158,     Phoenix-Angel-Zia11,     racky-0417,     rgyoung,     rococo,     SakiYoko,     se1ene,     shadowofeternity,     sirenlovesyou,     Skystalker,     Spidou,     suha,     The-Physicist-PL,     VisualModality,     vladmoney     watery-green-tea
    
Saturday, April 18:
     Abstractionist,     Angelicwhispers,     annisahmad,     Annissina,     bekkia,     BlueBlack,     BunteBerte,     cmc1849,     Darksonic13,     darkspeeds,     RTShields,     Elvira-kruspe,     equilibriumgeo,     gsb,     HSAdude,     Iceh,     inyourhonour,     Joll,     LarsMaresca,     SaiScribbles,     miaow,     Mrichston,     MushroomMagic,     Nephro,     Nuclear-Giraffe,     petewentz1979,     KarimHommos,     Sephora-chan,     shichan,     mind-crash,     tennyocelestia,     thingummygirl,     were-demon,     PrinceVi,     Xx-Gothic-x-Rose-xX,     xXd4p1gXx

Go say happy birthday - at least to some of them!


1.2 Births, Engagements & Weddings

girltripped gave birth to their son on March 24, send them some love!


1.3 Obituary

  April 7, 2009: David Lance Arneson, 61, co-creator of the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, of cancer.


1.4 Special Announcements

None this week.


2. Help Wanted

None this week.


3. Features

Fresh Meat Vol43
Pastel feature
Where Art Meets Horses [Volume 1]
Feathers. Wings. Birds.


4. Comic Strip





Please note us with any news you may have - let's keep the community informed together.