About Me:
I joined the furry fandom back in 1997 when I attended the very first Anthrocon in Albany, NY. Before that, I had no idea that furry was a thing or that there were many others that shared the same interests I had. I had started making costumes a few years before for my friends for our local Renaissance Faire. Once in college with access to the internet, I learned how to make masks. Of course my desire was to create animals rather than monsters and the resulting research is how I discovered the fandom.

The first true fursuit I created was rheaalgarin back in 2000 and I’ve been refining her look ever since. But as rough as my first attempt at Rhea was, the magic of being able to bring a character to life in three dimensions had me hooked. I expanded into Cosplay, entering competitions in the early 00’s. I always chose furry anime characters though, both because of my own interest but also to stand out against a sea of red Vash coats and black & white Shinigami robes. I still entertain thoughts of cosplaying again but for now though fursuits are my real interest when it comes to costuming.

I particularly enjoy making fursuits of female characters. While there is a plethora of furry art featuring sexy females, there are precious few fursuits that retain their feminine allure when translated from two to three dimensions. With rheaalgarin and astarianaira I think I’ve finally achieved the look I’ve been working towards for years. I still haven’t perfected everything to the point that I’m confident taking commissions yet but I hope to do so beginning in late 2016.

About my fursona:
Astaria Naira is a kitsune with fairly traditional red fox markings. She is an Eldritch Knight; a spellcaster specializing in combat magic and swordplay. She follows the tenants of Neria, the vixen Goddess of love, fate, friendship, and animals. In fact her last name is a derivative of the Goddesses’ own. Generally shy and introverted, she is much more open and playful among her close friends. Rheaalgarin is her closest friend and companion, and the two are inseparable.

About my fursuit:
I built Astaria using the same methods I employed with rheaalgarin. Version 1.0 was built on a DVC fox blank that I modified (link) to have a longer, slimmer muzzle. For the current version, I made my own mask blank, aiming to retain some design elements of the previous mask but make it much more tight fitting. She features LED eyes and a moving jaw with a tongue and jawset from DVC. Her nose is urethane rubber. I originally created a traditional fursuit using MM Rust Fox fur but after completing it, decided to make a light weight version out of stretch velvet as well. Astaria debuted at the Anthrocon 2015 Fursuit Parade.