(Just in case the note I sent out got missed)

Well I'm finally back in the position where I have been able to get a computer and get back on a reliable net connection. For those of you who've had the patience to stick the dry periods out with me, I thank you. Please resubmit any works which you've submitted that weren't accepted because they expired.

I'm sure that if you've stuck this out, you can understand that I didn't just want to hand the reigns over to a random person, and come back to find the Group something other than I intended it to be.

Anyone who couldn't understand that I'm sure they've already moved on, and I'm sorry if you had to endure any dramatic notes or comments from such people. Real life does occur, and trust that if I'd been able to get online to pay attention to this Group, I would have.  

**It's not that I was "too busy" or didn't care.  If that was the case I would have simply deleted the group.  I created this group Dec 7, 2006 - back when accepting submissions was a horridly long process of downloading your submissions to my computer, then uploading them to the club account, etc.  Trust that I care, and this is the reason I didn't just open the group submissions to a free-for-all.  We already have an Anthro gallery on DA, so this group isn't simply designed to fill that function by accepting everything.  It isn't about the skill shown in the piece either -- everyone has to start out somewhere.  

So let's talk about what the Group is not: It is NOT about accepting only your friends submissions and making them featured pieces.  It's NOT about humans with cat ears tacked on. It's NOT about accepting the line someone just traced off someone else's piece.

It IS about the expression put forth in true Anthro art, and this encompasses so much more than the typical fox picture.  I'm jazzed to see so many examples of other species, and of multiple themes - space, fantasy, modern, steampunk, etc.  Correct categorization ensures people find exactly what they're looking for, and acceptance into the group ensures that people are exposed to more than just a single aspect of the fandom.  NO I will NOT censor pieces.  Put your mature filter on.  No I will NOT explain to you why I will not accept a submission of a dog that you've classified as a rodent or something similar.

This is a Group.  You joined because you agreed with the ideals.  If you don't agree with the ideals, you don't join and then demand the group to change for you.  You go create your own group - there are several who have, and that's neat, because then we can affiliate with each other, and people can see both sides of the coin.  

But don't you DARE feel entitled to be accepted to this, or DARE feel entitled to tell me how to run things, or DARE tell me I don't care about the group because I went through a significant life-change during which I couldn't afford an internet connection stable enough to log on to dA.  /end rant

Anywho, thanks again to those of you who've stuck things out, and over the next week or so I'll be giving the Group a once-over to make sure things are still in place, and dusting out the cobwebs.

~Leona