[Vfw-times] Cloudchaser's Anthrocon 2001 report-Includes lots of artwork :-)

[Rufinoform at aol.com]

Hello!  Hope you're OK!

Here is the report that I promised I would send after I got back :-)  AC was 
a lot of fun!  There were over 1,400 furs in attendance, making it the 
largest fury con by far for the second year in a row!

If anyone takes this to be a "Here's what you missed, loser!" type message, I 
sincerely apologize.  I Intend it to be a "Wish you were here!" type message 
:-)

FRIDAY
First of all, don't trust the maps section at yahoo.com!  According to them, 
I needed to get off on exit 28 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to get to the 
hotel where Anthrocon was held.  I found out the hard way that it's actually 
exit 24.

The lines for registration were *VERY* slow!  At one point, Kagemagushi, the 
fur who organizes and runs AC, stood up on a table and said "All of you can 
repeat after me!  It's all Kage's fault!" (everyone says just that) Then Kage 
said "I was only trying to save money!" and humorusly overacted being ashamed 
:-)

Some of you have heard of or have watched the Funday Pawpet Show.  For those 
who haven't, it's a humorus puppet show that's first taped and then put 
online at
http://www.pawpet.org/funday
Anyway, they taped that weekend's show at AC :-)  If you like puppet shows, 
it's worth seeing!

Following that was "Uncle Kage's Story Hour".  Humorus stories told by Kage 
:-)  It's always one of the most popular events at furry cons because he's so 
good at it!  I went in thinking that I was only going to see about the first 
20 minuites or so before leaving and ended up staying for the whole hour!  I 
enjoyed it so much that I just didn't wanna leave!

After that, all I did was to get a couple of sketches (see "ARTWORK" section 
below), checked my mail in the 'net room and went to bed.  I was tired!

Many of you already know about the recent negative publicity on furry fandom, 
especially the article in Vanity Fair magazine.  Kage said something 
encouraging about that during his story hour.  He said "Anytime a fandom goes 
public, you're gonna have growing pains.  Stark Trek fandom went through the 
same thing 25 years ago"

Kage also said that "One of the reasons that Anthrocon is at the Adam's Mark 
hotel this year is because they invlited us!"  Now I'm wondering if this 
hotel has hosted Star Trek cons before because they apparently don't mind 
strange people walking down the halls :-)


SATURDAY
After breakfast at the Denny's next to the hotel, I spent most of the day 
running around, getting the sketches listed below under "ARTWORK".

Late in the evening, I went to the Fursuit Masquerade.  If you don't know 
what that is, it's basically people in animal costumes doing stage acts, 
usually amusing or downtight humorus.  If you go to a furry con, I reccomend 
seeing the Masquerade!  It's always great!  I'd have photos of it, but I 
tried that last year and not a single one of 'em came out due to most of the 
room being dark, so I didn't even try this time.

After that was over, I continued getting sketches, sometimes getting still or 
video shots of the fursuiters that remained in the area afterward.  Following 
the Masquerade was a "fursuit friendly dance" and I got lucky enough to get 
some great video of them dancing to the classic Men Without Hats song "Safety 
Dance" :-)  Also got a good video of a pack of wolf fursuiters howling in the 
hall outside and some amusing video where some fursuiters were playing 
Twister in their fursuits :-)

One of the elevators isn't ventilated very well and is a bit warm on the 
inside, especially when full of people, and was known for that.  By Saturday 
evening, some wiseguy had put a sign by the elevators in the lobby saying 
"You must be this tall to ride the vertical sauna" :-)

This year's charity auction was a success with various furry items (even some 
origional artwork donated by well known and popular artists) and additional 
donations raising over $7,000 for Reins of Life, a thereputic riding 
organization in Penn Valley, PA that provides equine assisted therapy for 
children and young adults with special needs.  100% of what all items were 
auctioned for went directly to Reins of Life, who had representatives there 
to take the money as each item was paid for.  The organization can be reached 
at 1-610-664-1051, reinsoflife at mindspring.com or visit their homepage at 
http://www.reinsoflife.com

SUNDAY
Not much at all happened Sunday.  After crashing at 3:30 a.m. and then 
getting up at 7:30 so that I could be sure I'd fall asleep and sleep all 
night when I went to bed at 8 P.M., I ate breakfast then hung around untill 
the delaer's room opened at 10.  I first went to Michelle Light to get her to 
sketch of Cassie the Rock Vixen before she got booked up for the day then 
picked up a finished sketch of my Vixina character and I that Carla Speed 
MacNiel had worked on overnight.  Both sketches are listed below in the 
"ARTWORK" section.  After that, I was able to get some good video of the 
Fursuit Parade.  Would have got photos too if I could operate a video and a 
still cam at the same time.  After that, I just hung out in the 'net room for 
the rest of the day, making sure to keep my e-mail and God's Creatures list 
messages caught up as best I could untill it came time to eat supper and go 
to bed at 8.  I had planned to be back home by mid afternoon Monday, so I had 
to go to bed early so I could have a good rest for the drive home.

PHOTOS
Sorry, there are no photos this time.  They all came out too dark to scan 
even though they were taken in good light with the flash being used.  Next 
time, I'll make sure to get a camera with film that is more light sensitive.

ARTWORK
All artwork has the artist's name in the filename.  For artist contact info 
(e-mail and website) for each artist, please visit the URL at the head of 
each of the three following sections.  All drawings of the characters that 
the three sectionbelow are named after can also be seen at those URL's.  
esmartweb.com is caps sensitive, so the URL at the head of the first two 
sections have to have that uppercase letter in the filename or you'll get 
"file not found".  I checked all of these URL's before sending this message 
to be sure that they would work.

MYSELF (http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/Cloud002.htm)

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/carla_speed_mcneil_01.jpg
Pencil comission.  Titled "Gone Away".  I had this done for a terminally ill 
friend to show her that I'll miss her when she's gone.  Despite what you may 
think, I am 100% certain that this won't upset her.  If I had even the 
slighest doubt about it not upsetting her, I would have waited untill after 
she's gone before showing it to *anyone*.  Please also see
http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/louversd.htm

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/miachel_higgs_01.jpg
My con badge for Anthrocon 2001


VIXINA AND I (http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/CldVix04.htm)
For those who don't already know, Vixina is a completely fictional character, 
she isn't even slightly based on anyone that I know.  I had been getting 
sketches of Vixina at the last two cons I went to, so this time, I decided to 
et sketches of both Vixina and I in the same pic.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/carla_speed_mcneil_02.jpg
Vixina snuggling up to me from behind.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/david_bliss_01.jpg
Very well done overall.  I think that David did an especially good job on 
Vixina's sundress.  It has just the kind of casual, loose fitting look that 
her dress is supposed to have, a look that hints at a relaxed, laid back 
fursonality.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/chester_boomer_skunk_01.jpg
This one also shows Vixina in her sundress.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/bussaca_01.jpg
Amusing pic of Vixina and I in a moonlit setting, Vixina looking like she has 
other things on her mind, me looking like I want to give Vixina a kiss, 
distracting her from whatever she's thinking about.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/miachel_higgs_02.jpg
Sweet pic if Vixina and I holding each other close and looking into each 
other's eyes.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/lyrra_madril_01.jpg
Vixina and I just looking at each other.  This pic also gives a good idea of 
what Vixina's bellybitton ring & waistlet looks like.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/boris_terriekitten_chwosta_01.jpg
Cute pic of Vixina and I sitting across from each other at a small table, 
leaning towards each other and holding hands.

http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/miachel_sherman_01.jpg
Amusing pic of me sneaking up to Vixina from behind and stealing a kiss.  
Fitting since she does something similar to me in "Surprise Kiss" (seen at 
the above CldVix04.htm URL)


CASSIE THE ROCK VIXEN (http://members.aol.com/Cassie.htm)

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen2/boris_terriekitten_chwosta_01.jpg
Cassie started playing guitar when she was little.  This really cute pic 
shows her as an adorable little girl looking through the display window of a 
music store at a guitar for sale.
http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen2/michelle_light_01.jpg

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen1/mitch_beiro_01.jpg
Cassie standing on a big concert stage playing her guitar.  Great background 
on this one.  Pink Floyd fans especially will like lasers and the big 
circular screen ringed with spotlights.

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen2/carla_speed_mcneil_01.jpg
Cassie getting an annoyed expression on her face as her guitar breaks a 
string.  Excellent overall quality of art.  You can even see the shine of the 
sequins on her dress.

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen2/michelle_light_01.jpg
Sideview headshot of Cassie looking out of the corner of her eye and smiling.

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen1/bussaca_01.jpg
Cassie sitting on a stool, playing her guitar plugged into a nearby amp.

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen1/iron_raptor_01.jpg
Good action pic of Cassie playing her guitar.

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen2/rozcat_01.jpg
Cassie standing with stage lights sparkling in the background.

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen2/chester_boomer_skunk_01.jpg
Anime influenced pic.  Cassie standing and winking at the viewer.

http://members.aol.com/cassierockvixen2/lyrra_madril_01.jpg
Good action pic of Cassie holding her guitar with one hand and holding a 
microphone with the other as she sings.

Well, that's it for now.  At least untill mephit Furmeet :-)  
(http://www.mephitfurmeet.org)

Take care!  Wuff!

Cloudchaser Shaconage, a chocolate & peanut butter lovin' Red Wolf furry
Louve RSD Awareness Page-In Honor of Louve
http://cloudchaser.esmartweb.com/louversd.htm
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a devestating and painful illness that 1,000's 
of people including Louve must live with every day.  Louve has full body RSD 
a.k.a. Dysautonomia, incurable and fatal after prolonged severe suffering 
than can last for years
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/dysauto_doc.htm
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