Stephne Tate

Whatever the case TFF is not a con I would recommend as being fair or worth it to apply to. You risk getting talked down to and rude quips about your work while others get away with everything I’ve stated previously. I hope there is some serious introspection that happens at TFF and adjacent cons

Not to mention the way some artists have been talked down to by the dealers lead. This is people’s livelihood and I stand by what I say.

Things they absolutely do not have the commercial licenses to (as in, logos, images and characters pulled from copyrighted materials with no changes) taken wholesale and printed. Meanwhile, I’ve heard of legitimate artists who do their own work not being allowed in for up to a decade

The issue at hand is more so, in my opinion, that the dealers lead has been very unprofessional in other regards and I have heard many whispers from behind the scenes from people who are too scared to say anything. But if anything, this shows the lapses within the system that allow vendors selling

And the con said “good enough” and allowed them in again, despite their booth containing zero original work for a number of years

I don’t have a problem with artists licensing. I understand how it works. But this is a problem of someone who cheaply and easily printed AI and copyrighted materials and when confronted with it, said they simply didn’t know where the images came from aside from “patreon”

They claim the AI was an accident but exposes a pattern of laxness for this booth in which a number of images don’t have a legitimate source, and that the owner isn’t doing due diligence. And apparently if you do work for the con, you can bypass the jury system and sell basically whatever you want

Several of the images they printed and sold in previous years were frequently stolen off Google, and while the vendor may have “legitimately” purchased a pack, the sources may not have been legitimate and may have contained stolen art. The patreon I found provided zero sources for their files

Indeed, the source of their AI 3D prints is a patreon which clearly stated that they did not offer commercial rights for copyrighted properties, because they hold no commercial rights for them. And yet, the vendor went ahead and printed and sold said items at TFF, for a nominal patreon fee.

About the AI booth at TFF, I have heard several times- and even heard of the dealer themselves- complaining that furries just don’t understand commercial licensing. This is not a good defense for the range of images they’ve “licensed” that are either A. Copyrighted or B. Questionably sourced

I try to be patient as I can, but it’s very troubling to me that artists who make their own work cannot get in but someone who’s purchasing files to print is given a pass for almost a decade

3D prints of the burn book, from mean girls, as well as other logos like twitch which they certainly do not hold the copyright to. And the AI. I’m not sure if it’s justified that they’re allowed in even if they do art for the con, considering none of the products they make feature their own art

So, I was able to research into said dealer and while I understand commercial rights, some of the files that they’d purchased had none. The source was a $7 a month patreon and they explicitly said in the terms of use “copyrighted images do not have commercial rights”. And yet, the booth was selling

I'm reposting this just simply because I want people to see this. I'm asking people to consider not supporting this convention because of the way that they treat their applicants. And to the convention staff if you see this shame on you and your staff.

#furrysiesta #TFF #furryfiesta #furcon

Yep, it’s the same one, and yes I saw they were on the list for dealers in 2025. For a competitive room where many of my friends and peers have never gotten in, and are forced to fight for scraps in AA, its funny that AI and clipart is acceptable but they had the audacity to write this email

Idgaf. Everyone who works cons, who puts in long hours and who’s art uplifts the community DESERVES better

I was accused by what I believe to be a burner account held by staff of “inciting harassment” for asking people to email TFF and share their opinions on the allowance of AI. I nowhere asked people to harasses the con. However by simply asking people to hold the con to account, I was the problem

Events need to be held to account to be professional, not harassment and threats, but by putting your foot down when you see something you KNOW is wrong. Staff should not have unlimited power to bully and blacklist even confronted with problems

I have no interest in vending at TFF ever or applying, and I assume that I’ve made a shitlist for speaking up about the AI. But for the sake of my friends, and of many people whose livelihoods depend on conventions, I’m willing to say something. It’s unacceptable behavior to get away with

A friend of mine faced horrible verbal abuse by the lead of the TFF dealers room. They also juried in the AI booth AGAIN despite the fact the booth makes none of their own original art and uses premade 3D printed files of copyrighted materials. And yet if you speak up, you risk getting blacklisted

But thank you for sharing your experience. You did not deserve that

Choices. So we often have no options but to stay quiet or risk blacklisting from events. We need to be able to hold events accountable, and right now there’s just no way to unless people speak up. I’m so sorry for how you were treated

Room even after backlash. They banned AI, but juried in the vendor for 2025. It’s exhausting that for a fandom that relies on its artists and innovators, some dealers rooms can be ran so unprofessionally and face absolutely no consequences. And yet, our livelihoods depend on them to make these

I’m not sure if the same crew runs the dealers at Furry Siesta, but I’ve witnessed dealers staff at TFF be incredibly rude and wildly unprofessional to a friend of mine over text. Not only that, they juried in a vendor who had NOTHING but clipart, 3D printed objects and AI into their “competitive”

Whale fall mug. Incredibly time consuming and meticulous work, but stunning results

lol I know exactly what you mean! Yes, wax was involved in two different stages of the process. I wax the mug when it’s still leather hard clay, carve and inlay, and then used a latex based wax during the glazing phase. Thanks so much!

Whale fall mug. Incredibly time consuming and meticulous work, but stunning results

Gorgeousssss

I have one of these, the mechanical pencil feature is truly innovative. You can pack so much into a single pen!

Republicans: everyone must be able to carry any gun at all times,
up to and including high powered rifles, to protect themselves against tyranny

also Republicans, without batting an eye: carrying a gun is unquestionable justification for federal agents to shoot you dead in the street