Aphinity

2022-12-01T06:30:39Z

2605:B100:952:1237:31D2:246C:8F46:3ACA: Added birthday

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[[File:aphinity-marci.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Commission by [[Marci_McAdam]].]]
'''Aphinity''' (born November 30) is an [https://avali.fandom.com/wiki/The_Official_Avali_Wiki Avali] (formerly [[anthro]] Pacific white-sided [[dolphin]]) from [[Wikipedia:North Vancouver|North Vancouver]], [[Wikipedia:British Columbia|British Columbia]], Canada. He first came to recognize himself as [[furry]] in February of 2006. He spent a few years on [[Tapestries MUCK]] as [[Chuff]], the anthro [[Orca (species)|orca whale]], prior to his introduction to [[Vfur]], courtesy of [[Orka]] and [[Selkit]] from [[Furnation Worlds]], who in turn lead him to [[Trapa]] and [[Loial Otter]]. He has extensive convention staff and management experience, with notable examples including chair of [[Howloween]] from [[Howloween 2008]] to [[Howloween 2022]], chair and founder of [[Vanhoover Pony Expo]], executive staff in founding year of [[VancouFur (convention)|VancouFur]], and previous board of directors member for both [[RainFurrest]], and [[VancouFur (convention)|VancouFur]].

== Marine studies & work ==

Aphinity is passionate about dolphins and [[whale]]s. He has previously worked as a dolphin trainer at [http://www.dolphin-institute.org/ The Dolphin Institute] and has constructed a [[Wikipedia:Sonar#Passive_sonar|passive sonar]] [[Wikipedia:Hydrophone|beamforming hydrophone array]] for both [http://www.ubc.ca/ UBC] and for [http://www.vanaqua.org/ Vancouver Aquarium] researcher [http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~deecke/ Dr. Volker Deecke].

He regularly attends conferences relating to studies of wild killer whales and marine mammals in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska and was given approval to construct a passive sonar array system in the [[beluga whale]] habitat of the [http://www.vanaqua.org/ Vancouver Aquarium], to which he was given staff privileges. He was previously a volunteer for the Vancouver Aquarium as a Gallery Educator and is currently employed for [[Mascot]] work as Beebop beluga, the Aquarium's official mascot.

== Interests ==
===Automotive===
Aphinity has a background in automotive racing and performance vehicles thanks to his father, who runs an [http://www.inlinesix.com inline six drag race car]. He personally drives a 2004 [[Wikipedia:Dodge SRT-4|Dodge SRT-4]] turbo sport compact car, and occasionally races radio controlled off-road and on-road cars, having placed 3rd in the Canadian Nationals in 1/10th Scale Gas Truck before previously quitting racing in 1997.

===Photography===
Aphinity is an amateur photographer with a good deal of [[Wikipedia:Nikon|Nikon]] camera equipment. He is an experienced videographer and editor with past years of experience, including construction of a multimedia grad slide show for his high school graduating class, and various other amateur productions.

===Computers===
Aphinity is an avid computer user (including being an [http://www.apple.com/ Apple] [[Wikipedia:Macintosh|Macintosh]] user) and once worked as an Apple Certified Technician at a major Apple Specialty store in Vancouver, BC. He is presently employed as a computer consultant for a North Vancouver company. He dabbles in electronics occasionally and has a diploma in [http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/550qdiplt Computer Systems Technology] from the [http://www.bcit.ca/ BC Institute of Technology] with a specialty in embedded systems.

===Avali===
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aphinity reached out to virtual reality platforms like [[w:VRChat|VRChat]] where he discovered the Avali species, and decided to get more involved with creating Avali merchandise and creating his own Avali avatar. As a result, he began hosting VR portals and panels with his own equipment at VancouFur and Howloween.

== Fursuits ==
[[Image:aphinity-fursuit.jpg|right|150px]]
[[Image:Aphinity_Ioco.jpg|right|150px]]

Aphinity constructed his first [[fursuit]] thanks to tips and guidance from [[Trapa]] and help from [[Loial]], and a head design thanks to Saros (Legend Gryphon). The suit is comprised of a molded plastic head construction with overlaying soft foam and plush fabric, 3D eyes, a separate tail that hooks through a belt loop, a separate dorsal fin that can be worn independently, and feet constructed over top of old shoes.

When the fursuit was still unfinished, he chose to wear it for [[Howloween 2006]], his first ever furry convention. He continued to work on it, and made substantial improvements to it for his use at [[Further Confusion 2007]], as well as [[RainFurrest 2007]] and occasional public venues. Due to wear and damage, this fursuit is currently retired and it's final use was at [[RainFurrest 2009]].

He expanded his performance options by acquiring a second suit, a Siberian Husky named Ioco, which was received in October of 2009 on a commission from [[One Fur All Studios]]. While Aphinity is still his main character, he has found ioco (always spelled with a lowercase "i") to be tremendously well received by others and better understood compared to Aphinity, his dolphin character.

== External links ==
{{Contributor}}
* [http://www.furaffinity.net/user/aphinity Aphinity] on [[Fur Affinity]]
* [http://aphinity.livejournal.com/ Aphinity] on [[LiveJournal]] (rarely posted to)

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Fursuiters]]
[[Category:Dolphin characters]]
[[Category:British Columbia]]
[[Category:Howloween staff]]
[[Category:RainFurrest staff]]
[[Category:VancouFur staff]]
[[Category:Howloween staff]]

WikiFur - User contributions [en]

Aphinity