Open Cargo Bay Door, Eject Yellow Alien
The events of the past couple days have been simultaneously horrific and surreal.
This entry must remain short and relatively information free for reasons that I am certain most of the community understands. In due time the truth will come; it always has an interesting way of appearing in the most benign of locations. I would love to offer you an explanation but unfortunately at this juncture I am unable to.
Most of you are asking yourselves, “What can I do to help?â€
The answer to that is relatively simple: never give up on asking the “new†deviantART administration for honest answers about the current state of affairs.
The community needs to continue to demand the truth and never back down. I know the existing administration is counting on this to blow over; that is the modus operandi. If the community keeps up the pressure then their hands will be forced.
Remain civil while asking questions. Rioting solves nothing. Diplomacy is necessary. Whether you submit art or write comments, it must remain well-mannered. Trust me when I say that; the administration favors, and listens, to those who can frame their arguments in an intelligent and courteous manner. People who lash out are summarily dismissed by the staff.
Know that I love each and every one of you. “deviantART dot com loves you†is a moniker that I came up with and hold true and dear to my heart. I am not able to respond to each and every single outpouring of support but know that all comments are being read. For all that the community is doing I am eternally grateful.
Remember one thing: the community comes before anything and everything. It is why I had devoted the last 5 years of my life to deviantART; it is why I sacrificed so much.
Never forget the community.
Here are some Community [Deviation] Projects as part of an outpouring of support “campaign†for the Yellow Alien. If I happened to miss your *project* then I am sorry as it was not intentional.
If you want to support the various efforts then these are the prime projects that need your help.
Update 1: Please, for the love of all of humanity, do not do anything physical to anyone. Various reports of people making phone calls to staff members and leaving verbal threats to reports of assorted violence need to cease. Do not do anything that is not considered diplomatic, intelligent and mature. PLEASE! Rioting and violence solves nothing.
Much love to you and the family. =)
Solidarność!
greetings and love from germany
Bernd
behind you all the way. not that that could mean much to you.
I’ve been lurking about dA for sometime now since 2001. Even though i’m an admin on customize.org and dont visit dA on a regular basis, you have my support.
You’ve worked too hard to put together something for the entire skinning community to enjoy for it to be snatched up from you like that. Keep fighting man, you’ve got alot of people that understand the situation at hand.
Indeed Scott, indeed. That’s why I was hesitant to link my blog entry anywhere, because I know it was not diplomatic. However.. I shall collect my thoughts and keep asking questions. Just as you’ve stated here.
Let’s keep this community thing going, it’s the best community feel I’ve had in a little over 8 months.
Respect mate, I’m eager to hear the impending truth.
If those idiots who sacked you think that people will forget, they only will once the people who havent forgotten leave and take a piece of deviantART with them.
I heard something about how Spyde had one of his lawyer friends rewrite the dA Policies (when people stopped submitting deviations) so that he could also push you out of ownership. Is this true? are you able to show us how?
I’m eagerly awaiting news as to what has happened. It all seems very wrong to me.
Good luck with whatever you decided to do now (if you fight for your position again, or just try to find something new to do with your life). Your contribution to the internet as a whole was amazing.
I’m sad to see you go, you understand that community means people and that dA is not just a bunch of php scriptcodeables.
Regardless of the outcome of all this, I suspect you’ll be successful at whatever you decide to do in the future, be it another website or entirely unrelated pursuits.
All the best…
Long live the community! May the corporation reside eternally in hell!
Behind you all the way! The community will not allow this to simply be swept under the rug. You were, are, and will always be the heart, the very lifeblood of deviantART. I hope that you get put back on staff, but if you don’t I’m sure you’ll do great things for many other people like you did for all of us at dA. We love you, Jark!
Dude, you have my full support. Rock on! dA was unfair to you. I’ll try my best to follow your adivce. Good luck to you comrade.
We love you and want you back Jark! I love my DevART account but I know it wouldn’t be half as cool if it wasn’t for you. *nod* So I’ll be fighting to get you back!
Jark, I’m sorry to see such things come. I want you to know that I support you fully!
we love you, scott… and we miss you so much!!!
I’ve only been on Deviant art for a year and a half, but I really liked the site and how it was coming along… then I visited today and found this news waiting for me… Trust me when I say that if they think the website will continue without you just as well as it did with you, they are wrong… a lot of people consider you to be the driving force behind Deviant art, maybe even the soul of Deviant art… and removed from the site, it becomes an empty shell…
Maybe I’m being overly dramatic about it… but I can’t imagine DA without the yellow alien at the helm…
Maybe it’s time to pack up and leave? Though if everyone just up and left, that’d still leave the website a chance to rebuild and fill its ranks with noobs who have no idea there is anything wrong with the admin staff…
Quite honestly, I’d love to stay and ask the staff for answers… my problem is, what to ask? I’d have to start with “WTF is going on and why is Jark not working for DA anymore?”….
Still trying to piece everything together….
you should create a new art website, for all deviants who are angry with actions of certain individuals.
To: $Jark…- still The Man in my book.
I hope and pray that you can reconcile this, I hope and pray that it does not disturb your mind-set too much.The impact of crap like this can leave damage. I wish you Strength and Fortitude if you decide to fight(..and you should).
Obviously we don`t know the details but we know enough to formulate a very good idea of the powerplay in motion.
And it stinks.If my son(Dredwerk)were still here he would be beside himself at this news-he thought you were SO kewl!!!!
You have shown such integrity in DevArt whilst around you people have`nt. If you started another site, you would be guaranteed an army of supporters, me being one of them…..don`t let the xxxxxx`s grind you down….
surely as creator of deviantart you have some legal leverage? these actions are preposterous, and the offenders must be removed.
i just cant believe someone could do this! >.
I hope the truth will be revealed soon… ’cause dA is losing a cool and funny admin. One who isn’t afraid of ‘potty humour’ despite all the flack he got about it.
*huggles* I hope this has a happy ending :(
Take care alien-guy.
get the breed, razorart/raster and deskmod team and create a monster.
you know we need you scott. and few can imagine dA without you. don’t give up.. *hug*
Is the information on http://www.t52.org accurate?
Will you be taking any legal action against spyed?
If you lose, will you and matteo start a new community?
Will you be developing a new artsite scott?
Sounds like a hostile takeover bid to me. Too corporate for my liking, so you have my support.
I *really* don’t like the underhandedness that has gone along with this - if there was genuine justification for your removal then that should have been made clear, to you and to the dA community. Censoring people’s journals etc is completely unjustifiable. Whatever happened to being transparent and accountable?
I suggest that if the community’s protest at your removal is ignored, that you set up a new, independent community in the original spirit of deviantArt. Then we can vote with our feet.
ilostmyname has a letter that she put up that’s getting alot of attention.
http://www.deviantart.com/view/21187834/
Hey Scott,
Thanks for making a statement about this crazy couple of days. I can’t imagine how horrible it must be to lose the creation that has soaked up your blood, sweat and tears for five years, but I hope the blow is softened somewhat by the enormous amount of support that has been generated.
I’m really sorry that the atmosphere surrounding DA’s 5th birthday has been tarnished in this way. It’s a far cry from the community spirit I witnessed during the days of the Summit.
I don’t think it matters whether your dismissal was warranted or not (we haven’t heard the details, but it sounds more like a hostile takeover to me), but I don’t think anybody denies that its execution has been completely unsatisfactory.
Best wishes for whatever you decide to do next, you’ve already got plenty of backers.
Cheers,
Elizabeth
The whole thing makes my head spin and feel all mixed up inside. I’ve never raced up to my computer as much as I did the last few days to atleast at 2 or 3 comments every hour of the day in support of you.
Whatever you decide to do, you’ll do it with honor.
If you ever need anything, I will do all what lies in my strenght to help.
Daisuki
We love you :( Be strong, leader *salute*
I’m linuxkid76 from Devart and I wanted to send my hugs, love and thoughts, and hope that they will get their heads out of their asses and bring back the daddy of DA.
VIVA the yellow alien, may he probe for eternity!!
Just a former DevArt user, but I still support you. You’ve worked too hard on this to have it taken away from you.
Are you taking any legal action?
Hey Scott,
Man, this whole thing is just awful, i can only just imagine what it must be like for you. Seeing what was probably once a pipedream flourish into a ever increasing achievement. And then to see you’re childtaken from you. Thats just evil.
I’ll be behind you until you’re back to where you were my friend, you’re an inspiration and deserve respect.
Everyone’s behind you, and this will never just blow over, not with all the submissions about it.
deviantart dot com loves you too Jark
You have the full support of the community you helped cultivate. That’s undeniable, and maybe this is what had to happen to show some powers that be, where the heart and soul of this thing really lies. The people aren’t wrong.
Keep up the good fight.
Don’t know what to say. We’re all behind you all the way - It’s stupendous to see the overwhelming support of the entire DA community, both old and new members joining together to give you their.. Their trust, support and friendship.
We’re all behind you to the end.
Can’t wait for JarkArt :)
I’ve followed you quietly from my joining to dA and was always intrigued with the way you guided dA and us, trying to help the community and maintain integrity.
It seems so unfair, what’s going on right now, though its hard to fully understand something that seems so hidden behind smoke and mirrors.
You have a lot of support and respect though, so I’m sure no matter what you do we are behind you and supporting you.
Hugs
I’ve been with DA since ‘02 - I’ve seen it grow, expand, run into troubles, and improve. But gradually something had been happening and I can not believe that this is what it’s brought; your removal. I strongly believe that you will not be brought back, no matter how many deviants boycott or raise hell. Spyed and whoever is with him will have their way, because, well, they can.
Your true friends are leaving because of this atrocious act. Others will follow in their footsteps until there is a wasteland left. DEVIANTART WILL NOT BE WITHOUT JARK.
Period. If you can take legal action and get DA back, it will be an early Christmas for me. If not, please understand that watching your baby of five years drop, lie still and slowly die because of an incurable disease is the hardest thing. However, what you do after that shows who you really are - will you start again or will you leave this business altogether? Time will tell. If you start a new website, Jark, I’ll come. My friends will come. Content, participation, and honesty will also come. Although money is hard to come by, I can promise a little too.
Be well Jark and my thoughts are with you.
- Nick
We’re all pullin’ for ya.
Don’t let that commie lovin’ moma’s boy get away with this treachery. He’s turned to the dark side, due to those unprincipled hollywood types he’s hanging with.
And you know what kind of greedy socialist pigs they all are!
Good thing is, nobody will trust the fool anymore, for good reason. Teen mogul, my arse.
We are all here for you!!
All I know is that you gave me a Daily Deviation a while back, and wrote a really nice comment to go along with it. It felt great. It not only made my day, but my whole damn week. These little bits of praise and recognition mean a lot. Everyone needs to hear “attaboy” once in a while.
With the enormous size of DA, it’s doubly impressive that you even managed to dig up a submission by an obscure artist like me. It shows that you are really, really into the community, I think. As such, well, what the hell are they doing throwing you out? They need someone like you. No, they need you. I hope you get reinstated soon.
i can’t wait to join your new community.
Jark you have my prayers with you man. This greedy undermining man was jealous of you from the get go. You had way more pviews and watchers than him. You were very popular and he was not. His other business ventures didn’t go through but once he noticed dA had potential he quickly jumped on the bandwagon in 2002.
Please don’t forget the fire you have inside like the rest of us; the true artists of our day. We love you man and hopefully somehow Angelo can be ousted.
Support and respect to You.
When I joined dA back in 2001, you came to my then userpage and welcomed me.
I won’t ever forget that. You where the heart and sole of dA, and I thank you for all your help, support and leadership. You have my support 110%.
Thanks for everything, Scott. I think it was you who made me realize that “deviantart loves you” is… (or was?) not just another meaningless slogan.
We all love you Jark!! I took your “deviantart dot com loves you” slogan to heart and I could feel it …
Thank you for everything you’ve done.
God speed.
Scott, just want to let you know that I’m supporting you. It saddens me to see what has become of the community and it’s spirit (although these things seem to create a whole new community).
And if you’re considering starting a new online artcommunity… I (and I think a whole lot of other deviants) will join.
But let us not rush into things and first wait and see what Angelo has to say. It better be good.
I’m so sorry for you things turned so ugly. Good luck :smooch:
Did you see that t52.org thing? Quite interesting.
Anyway.
Aw man. I think it didn’t post my post properly. *sad*
Kudos from Germany. Have you gotten my note? Many don’t trust notes anymore, so in case you have not received my note, please mail me?
Lots of love from Prague, Czech Republic.
You aren’t alone.
Time for us to show real
Anything I can do man
This is truly an atrocity and you have my full support. If you decide to start another art community definitely let us know. I’ll be keeping an eye out!
hallo jark. i’m just sat here breathing with you good buddy.
I don’t know you personally man, but I really feel for you for everything that appears to be going on.
This is terrible… I can’t believe that you’ve been removed despite being the founder of this web site. =( I’m sure that the Community won’t let this rest so easily! How awful. Good luck, Jark.
Well, with this, I feel I’d be glad to support you either in legal action or in the creation of a new community with a constitutional system within the company model limiting such devious acts to really make the deviant in deviantART not a welcomed thought. Might I suggest alienCORE? :P
You set up a refuge for us, skinz.org refugees.
I will forever be grateful for that.
Your work changed my life. Without your work, I would have never decided to become an architect, and I’m applying for grad school next year. Thanks Scott.
I’ve been a member of DA since January this year. IN my short time here, I’ve grown to love it, and to hear (from the sensored story I’ve gathered from various pages) that you, as a founder, were not not allowed to continue to be part of the admin board (or something like that?) is pathetic. I’ve seen so much support for you in the DA community, and only wish I had been a part of it before this whole turn of events. I read somewhere that you and another co-founder who resigned were thinking of atarting up another art site. I promise you that when that happens, I’ll be there. Good luck to you, and again, I’m so sorry about what’s happened.
I support you all the way. Sorry about what has happened, thanks for all that you have done, and good luck to you in the future, whether you are reinstated as an administrator at DA or not.
I have been with deviantART from its near begingings. I hope that even through these harsh times you and your little green probe will still be seen arround the site. Causing anal agony to all who ask it…
For you:
http://www.deviantart.com/view/21225893/
i have nothing to say that hasn’t been said before…
Jark, On behalf of me and my friends(who are not able to reach the internet due to computer problems) We support you 100%. Your contribution to DA was magnificent. I’ve been on DA about a year, and it was great to be able to meet all the people i did in that short time, to see other art and finally put my art out for those to see, was great. With whatever you do from now on, fight for DA or move on with your life, we wish you well. It has been said that you an Matteo might creat a new site one day, so if that happens, Let the news be known to us! With whatever happens, we will be there!
Good luck in the future,
Temrin, and friends.
I’ve been on dA since December of 2003. I don’t think I’ve visited your page there more than two dozen times, including tonight when I commented on your journal there.
But as I said in my comment, I owe you so much. Your site has done so much for me. I went through 5 months living in a domestic violence shelter and then several more months moving around since the December I joined dA, and having a place to post journals and vent to people (as well as post my poetry) has helped me more than you can possibly imagine. I don’t know what dA will become without you, but I’m going to stick around there and hope to god that things turn out alright. I’m behind you 100%…. I just wish I knew what was happening. *sigh*
Good luck, Scott. And btw…. my sig on dA mentioned the Ninja, but it’s not about Spyed; it a friend’s nickname. Just thought I’d say that….
Ahem…. I think I’ve said enough. I wish you the best and thank you for everything you’ve done for me simply by creating deviantART. You are amazing.
~Aimee~
I support you all the way!
Scott,
I’m not entirely sure what has happened over the last couple days with deviantART and this whole fiasco, but I find it truly devastating. I think that deviantART ( the community ) will fall apart ( even if not entirely ) without someone like you running Community Development. And deviantART without community is nothing at all.
I just want you to know that I support you, as does the rest of deviantART. We will all fight until we get you back… until we get deviantART back.
I just wish that everyone could know the truth about what really happened.
I’ve been a member of DA since before its first birthday. I’m not a very vocal member, by any means, but I’m a member regardless. I haven’t submitted many deviations, I haven’t made many comments, whatever… but it’s always been the first site I visit when I’m looking for any good-looking art, be it wallpapers or skins or whatever else. I don’t expect you to know me, and I don’t expect my comment to make much of a difference. I just want you to know that I support you and Matteo no matter what happens. If you end up getting reinstated, yay for that. And if/when you create a new art site, DA is removed from my bookmarks forever. I only hope someone eventually comes clean about the whole thing and lets us know the truth.
Yellow alien forever.
Mr. Jarkoff,
I understand what a struggle it was to get DA off the ground, sir. I have only started business school, but I know enough to realize the starting capital and business planning phase is very tough. I’m not sure, after all that has happened within the last six years, that you have the desire to start again.
But, Mr. Jarkoff, I hope that you will. DeviantArt will not be the same, and I’m not sure I have the desire to continue there. Should you choose to create your own site and continue the legacy of DeviantArt as we once knew it, I wish that you would notify me so I may join.
Build it, sir, and I and many others will be there. Please keep this in mind.
Regards,
James T. Frye
USMC
Like Jamin, i’m a member for 5 years now (registered one day before opening) and always loved and followed the community behind this whole project.
now with jark “leaving”, the place isn’t what it used to be.
All the best for you jark.
I’m really willing to quit DA if I dont start feeling the trust from the “new” admin. I’ll fallow the orginal DA community wherever it does. Forget blindly trailing fat cats that hide facts and knowlege.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE jark IF YOU START A NEW SITE INFORM PEOPLE SO WE CAN FIND IT.
I will seriously delete ALL of my submissions and clear my name from DA if info doesnt start to spill.
~tor
the changes that will come without you make me afraid. hope everything goes like you deserve.
will spread the word!!
You have my support mate, my feelings are with you man, thanks for creating such a great website, i hope you don’t lose it it forever.
Is it possible that u, as a co-founder, can do nothing to stay in the staff? I know that maybe is you against all, but u must go on, even following legal ways, cause Deviantart is part of you and u made lots of things for everybody there! You have all our virtual and non virtual support, fight and do everything u can to stay with us!
Love from Singapore. Hope things get better and the community settles down.
Well spoken, my friend…well spoken…
…i was GREATLY saddend to hear what happend…EVERYONE is behind you 1000% I think you should make a website jarkArt or somthing…i’d leave d/a in a FLASH!!No-matter what happend/happens you’ll NEVER be forgotten and you’ll ALWAYS be missed…Take care
All my Love
Angel
Just remember.. YOU are DeviantArt …and without YOU DeviantArt wouldn’t be here…I don’t think anyone apart from those invovled will EVER know the full truth…keep your chin up and head high!!You have ALL my support
All My Love (again)
Angel
“You and I will both agree that there are wrenches here and there, but I don’t think they’re yet powerful enough to bring down something as large as this site.†-$liquisoft
I don’t know about the rest of the community, but I am THOUROGHLY pissed at the arrogance of this statement. We’re more than just a handful, or “wrenches here and there.” We’re in the thousands. We, as a community, are more than capable of making a profound statement on a grand scale.
(This is not a cry to take down DA, but a demonstration meant to empower the people.)
test
I’m a deviant newbie… will someone explain me HOW Jark lost his position? HOW did the other guy just “took over” the site?
Hi there.
I just wanted to say that if what i read here http://www.t52.org/ is true, then I’m totally and utterly behind Jark… not that my voice means much, but I thought I’d comment.
wow it kinda hit like a nuclear warhead, i didn’t know what the hell happened until the bombshell had landed, i guess i kinda missed the day of reckoning so to speak, but i still agree with everything u say and stand for, it is the reason i joined da, i didn’t join because i wanted to meet people, it is however a good reason, but i joined to be recognised, to be heard and to express myself. i dont know what is going to happen, but do know that i will stand behind you all the way mate!!!
It’s like being thrown out of your own restaurant. TAKE a piece of pie WITH YOU. You’re NEVER been in a better position to begin a new project. do it NOW. :devilish:
I hope you are to come back, deviantart is crashing since you are no longer in the picture, great art is being deleted.
Jark, what was done to you was completely immoral.
I’ve just finished deleting all my dA art. I don’t want any part in what goes on over there any more. I guess my s/n doesn’t matter, I was never really well-known and I had less than a dozen artworks up, but I still refuse to participate any longer.
How dare anyone treat another human being the way they treated you :(
First of all. I am sad to hear all this !! I wonder 2 things though
1. How is it possible to terminate you in the 1 place ??
was you not co founder/owner of DA in the 1 place ??
2. Have you ever thougth about makeing another place
like DA as i guess u got the support to do so ??
I am sorry if you think i am asking dumb. Have spyed ever
told he´s version of the whole damn thing ??
Best of luck in what ever you deside to do in the future
GFXman.