The Clackamas print., June 05, 2019, Page 7, Image 7

ARTS
s, “ It
going Two fursuit heads created by attendee and fursuit designer, Flare.
with
rt too busy, he doesn’t Portland Airport Hotel.
A n im a l ears, tail’s and fu rsu its adorn
rt will change someday,
re successful off of it, the hallways of the Sheraton hotel where
every m em orial weekend furries, fan’s of
ig wage, who knows!”
tner as much as he can anthropomorphic animals, come together to
ly word and even takes celebrate and take part in their growing subr
rnity as well, going by .culture. “ Furries have been described as ‘fans
it’s more just exposing of each o th er,’ as opposed to other media
r I don’t get as involved driven properties where they’ re organized
rbuy occasional merch. around a particular media property,” said Rex,
you know, I don’ t do the chairm an o f Furlandia 2 b i9 ?’You think
ay content - 1 definitely o f Broqies - they’re all organized around My
Little Pony; Trekkies - they’re all organized
tistry brings more than ground Star Trek; Star Wars fandoms, they’ re
»ss to community perks, all organized around Star Wars - these are
(ing a furry, or having different media properties. But furries, there
it o attend Portland’s^ are a lot of what we consider furry works of art,
io n , Furlandia, as well whether that’s movies or comics or costurhes -
* com m issions in the or anything else like th at.” Rex, w hohas been
is a dream for W horff, part of the organizing furry conventions since
uvention before. Whorff 2007, also described the experience of having
the conventionmonths a fursona as spiritual and even one person can
intion isn’t open to the have m ultiple fursonas depending on their
o register online. They current standing or mood; fursonas are not
adure an approximately limited to just creatures with fur, but also fins,
tacada, to the Sheraton scales and feathers.
asprint.com
& CULTURE
7
Shortcake, right, and another attendee and fursuiterftose for a photo.
Furlandia was èstablished in 2013 and since we don’t have fursonas because we ate furries
then has been growing in attendees and in a different way,” said Carrie.
Carrie and Joelle ran their panel with their
activities.
Thé Sheraton is able to make accommodations children’s assistance making tye-dye scarves,
for all of the happenings at Furlandia including con-badges and playing board games with the
panelists and dance competitions. One of the other attendees. Joelle explained that their
most excitingly overwhelming parts of the kids weren’t always social, but .until meeting
convention is the Dealer’s Den, where vendors their first fam ous furry, that all changed,
huddle behind their stalls selling art, tails, ears, “ They transformed, they smiled, they became
fursuit spray, even more, risque items such as , talkative, they became socially engaging - and
it still ^happens, they’re still quite introverted
collars, leashes or lewd art.
W hile the furry subculture, has received in their everyday life but when we come to a con
bad press in the past due to televisioh shows they talk, they make conversation, they smile,
like GSI, A Thousand Ways to Die, or even the they take pictures.” Furlandia offers more than
occasional bad apple — the fandom is very fandom, but relation and the opportunity to
accommodating to those who are underage, meet other people who share the same interests.
Navigating this convention would be a puzzje
as some adult furries w ithin the fandom do
participate.in more mature themes. However, without having an experienced furry like Whorff,
Furlandia is known for being a child-friendly Bess, or helpful staff and panelists. The furries
convention offering a safe space this year for a have a diverse sub-culture that cater to different
craft-m aking family friendly panel hosted by interests whether that is through treating furry
this year’s guests of honor, the Moms of Furries, art, media, organizing a meet-up or education. If
Carrie and Joelle, who run a YouTube channel ; you’re curious and adventurous enough, access
as well as websife offering advice to both young to this community is virtually anywhere, so
furries and the parents of those furries. “ We got don’ t be afraid to get yourself into a fuzzy
into the fandom because our kids aré furries, so situation.
June 5, 2019