Sta.sh
The 3-month rule is now the 6-month rule, meaning that it must be at least 6-months since the last time an artist received a daily deviation. (This was an overwhelmingly popular suggestion from the community and I agree, it's a good one!)
Icons and Handhelds Summary
Table of Contents
1. Reflections
2. Volunteer Openings
3. Share Your Opinions
4. Community Projects
5. Official Contests
6 Project Educate 2011/2012
7. News from the Chats and Forums
8. News from the Galleries
1. Reflections
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly a year can fly by. I've made it a practice over the years to sit back and reflect on the year, what went well, what didn't and where I'd like to see the new year go. A year can bring a lot of lessons and without reflection it's hard to ensure that you've taken away everything important from it. I apply this personally and to deviantART and it's that time again
A couple of fun highlights:
I got to sit next to Felicia Day and help conduct our interview with her at SXSW. I'm a pretty big fan so this was very cool. Our presence at SXSW was also a very new and interesting experience
The merger of the Volunteer teams into one Community Volunteers group. I appreciate that not everyone is on board with this but what it has allowed for is a bigger team and more volunteer opportunities. The team we have now is one of the largest, most cohesive groups we've ever had and I'm honored to work with them on a daily basis. 
Lots of Artist Relations opportunities this year! I have spent a lot of time sourcing artists and bringing community together for a variety of opportunities. Our artists have received more internal and external exposure due to the hard work of people like `aunnyd, $shyree2, $fourteenthstar, $Heidi and $techgnotic. Not to mention projects like Project Educate and the Art History project coming up I'm also excited to be watching sta.sh writer updates and improvements unfold. As someone who contributes content on a regular basis, sta.sh writer has been very interesting to me and I'm looking forward to the new improvements and fixes being finished and rolled out so you will love it as much as I do
I encourage your continued feedback regarding the site and its features as it helps guide us with improvements and fixes. I also appreciate the frustration of feeling like you're not being heard. You are being heard and this community is extremely important and it is the core of what we do.
With that I'm challenging you to reflect a little yourself on the following and leave the responses in the comments below:
A> What do you like best about deviantART?
B> What do you like least?
C> What is your highlight for the year? (deviantART related or not)
D> What feature would you like to see in the new year? (New or an improvement to something existing - list below and link examples or visuals if you want
If you aren't comfortable posting a public comment, feel free to contact me via email moonbeam13@deviantart.com or via note. I will caution you that I get a lot of notes on a daily basis so it may take longer if you go that route but I assure you that I will respond as soon as I can.
Since this is the last Community Relations newsletter for the year, I'd like to take the time to wish you and yours a very Merry Yule (Christmas, Kwanzaa, Christmakah, Holy Night, Hannukah, or whatever you celebrate!)
I also want to thank you for continuing to be the biggest and best community out there and sharing your thoughts and opinions (even the loud ones!!) on a regular basis. YOU make this community what it is and I thank you a million times for letting me be a part of that. The deviantART Community will always be home for me.Blessed be!
2. Volunteer Openings in Community Relations
If you're interested in learning more about being a volunteer on deviantART please read FAQ #85: Can I be a volunteer on deviantART?
To see current openings on the Community Relations volunteer team please check this blog
If there isn't a spot open please consider helping out from within the community. Read How to be a guiding light and shining example by the awesome ^RockstarVanity
3. Share Your Opinions!
I'm actively using my personal forum to try and connect more with the community and I have a series of threads:
Questions for $Moonbeam13 or Community Relations? Ask here Suggestions for deviantART Gallery Changes or Addition Requests Suggestions for Project EducateThese forums are all accessible from my profile page at $Moonbeam13 as well and I will be adding more. I encourage you to speak up and get involved! We're in this together
If you have a suggestion for a forum please send me a note! please do not create them yourself as it causes confusion on my page
4. Community Projects
Want to show your devious pride and get involved in ongoing Community Projects? Check on one of these:
Emoticon/pixel Art - Advent calendar project Community Projects Listing5. Official Contests
MandarinMoon - Deadline December 14, 2011 Childhood Memories Contest - Deadline December 15, 2011 Vector Your Christmas - Deadline December 25, 2011 The Darkness - Deadline January 1, 2012 Past, Present and Future Emoticon Contest - Deadline January 8, 2012 Seven Deadly Sins Contest - Deadline January 9, 2012 Letters to My Younger Self Contest - Deadline January 12, 2012 A Picture Paints 1000 words - Deadline January 31, 2012Please note that all contests end on the deadline stated at 11:59:59 PM PST
6. Project Educate 2011/2012
Project Educate: The Full Schedule! 3-d week Fan Art Week Pin Up and Glamour Week7. News from the Chats and Forums
The LOL Corner 116 Putting the ART in devART Vol. 34 I Came, I dAmned, I Founded 21 8. News from the Galleries
December Holidays, Events and Awareness - Community Projects November DDs - Community Projects CV Anime/Manga - General Update Anthro
Anthro Artist Feature & Interview - =sugarpoultryAnthro Daily Deviation Roundup - November 2011 Artisan Crafts Body Art & Modification Comics & Cartoons Customization Digital Dolls Emoticons: 
Emotiviews 9 - Interview with =Lushbob Emoticon DD summary November 2011 
dAemotes has been reactivated Handhelds & Icons Skins & Themes Wallpaper Designs & Interfaces Game Development Art DeviantART Related Digital Art 3-Dimensional Fractal Photomanipulation: Know Your Basics - Perspective the Creature Feature Contest Pixel Art Vector Vexel Fan Art Literature PhotographyGeneral November DDs & News from ScENeYmE
Life Through a Lens 5
Photography Discovered 5
November DDs from Kaz-D
Photography News Edition 3 from Kaz-D
Photography Squares #5
Abstract & Surreal Animals, Plants & Nature Architecture Artistic Nude Autumn Nudes Bodyscapes in Nudes Conceptual Conceptual Contest - Banana Conceptual DD - Summary November 2011 Fashion Fetish Autumn Fetish Unusual latex in Fetish Horror & Macabre Street Street Photography for dummies Street Photography - The Origins Where to find Street in dA Few helpful hints for street DD suggestions Friday night's Street Specials v11.4 Featuring #Decisive-instant Group Street Photography DDs - November 2011 Friday night Street Specials v12.1 Urban & Rural Resources & Stock Images S&R's DD Roundup for November S&R's Feature - For the love of...#1 Text Art & Typography Daily Deviation Guidelines Typo Feature - Food and Drink Text & Typography - Nov 2011 Traditional Art Sculpture Street Art & Graffiti
The Community Relations team exists to facilitate communication amongst deviantART's administration, volunteers and members. Our goal is to foster creative genius by encouraging artists to grow, collaborate and participate in a friendly and supportive artistic environment.
Watch #communityrelations for up to date news and events!
Hmm, dA feedback... I can feel some nice visual suggestions and browser scripts being born on this journal
As you say, time has rushed by and what an awesome year!
It only seems 2 minutes since I took on the Photographic Project 52 and set up my Group
We have had a small but dedicated group and have made it to the end of the year.
Two more photos and I shall have to choose a winner.
We would really appreciate your advice on the best way to get our information 'out there'
Can I say pretty much everything?
B> What do you like least?
I get nothing done at home
C> What is your highlight for the year? (deviantART related or not)
dA related: The
non-dA: having the crochet circle (my spare block)
D> What feature would you like to see in the new year? (New or an improvement to something existing - list below and link examples or visuals if you want
The option to search a deviant. You know how you can search deviations? Well we should be able to search devaints
First the foremost is the community. There are many nice people here that will help in a way or another, that will offer a hand of help however big or small that is including critiques and help to improve your art as well as advice when problems arise. Unlike other sites, I can feel comfortable even though I'm in a sea of strangers. I could easily call deviantart my online home. This is the first place I check on everyday whenever I turn on my laptop
Thanks to deviantart I've met a few people who have become very important friends and persons in my life. I'm more than happy to be a member of this wonderful place!
B> What do you like least?
Trolling and drama have been growing bigger the last few years, although it doesn't particularly bother me since I tend to stay away from it, sometimes it may get too much and it may eventually get out of control.
But what I truly dislike that there are a lot of members who join believing that they can get popular even if their art is horrible and I don't mean starters who come here to get advice and improve but people who just join, expect to become popular, do a lot of things for the sake of popularity (such as joining too many groups) and on the top of that get angry when things don't go their way.
We should certainly give a chance to everyone but there's a limit to that even.
C> What is your highlight for the year? (deviantART related or not)
This year didn't go so well, many things unfortunate things have happened but I managed to get into the art university I've wanted, together with my best friend and from now on we're working for the better!
D> What feature would you like to see in the new year? (New or an improvement to something existing - list below and link examples or visuals if you want
All I can think of at the moment is this; [link]
I'm not submitting my lit...yet but I have high hopes for this side of deviantart and it needs more love!
Community. Community. Community. Friends, like minded creative souls. Inspirational, mind blowing, beautiful artwork.
B> What do you like least?
The relentless DArama. It gets old really quickly.
C> What is your highlight for the year? (deviantART related or not)
Being made a Community Volunteer hands down. Being given the opportunity to work as part of a team of incredibly dedicated, talented artists is something that will stay with me for a very long time.
D> What feature would you like to see in the new year? (New or an improvement to something existing - list below and link examples or visuals if you want
Continued improvements to Sta.sh to make it a truly user friendly and intuitive path to being creative and sharing art. I'm most looking forward to being able to make a difference in the Stock and Resources categories.