In Recognition of Exemplary Membership and an Outstanding Spirit of helpfulness and mentoring within the DeviantArt community.
Hello! I’m Nancy, but most people know me as Anoya. I live with my two Norwegian Forest Cats Dio & Dex in a little country called the Netherlands. I like to do photography, but I secretly also love to crochet amigurumi. I have a huge passion for Animals, Plants & Nature (APN) which might be quite obvious since I’ve been the APN Photography Community Volunteer twice for over two and a half years in total. I still feature Daily Deviation suggestions in my journal since all of them are worthy of being featured and deserve extra exposure. I also think the artists should know their work has been suggested and that it’s being loved and appreciated!
In July I’ll celebrate my 11th deviant birthday. I’ve fallen in love with the community in 2004 and this place has become my second home. I want to thank every deviant who I’ve met (online and offline) for the amazing experience. The support, the kindness, the willingness to learn and to teach, to critique, to help each other out, to pay it forward, sharing our love for art.. I could go on forever. This place is amazing! There’s no place like home! :heart
April 2015
Deviousness Award Winner
When thinking of hardworking, talented artists who dedicate their time to the DeviantArt community, there are some deviants that come to mind almost instantly. Anoya is one of those deviants. A long-time member of the photography community, Nancy has provided her insight, guidance, and energy for new photographers and experts alike. In addition to her endeavors as a photographer, she has dedicated multiple years of her time to DeviantArt as a Community Volunteer for the Animals, Plants, and Nature photographers, and it is with immense gratitude that we present the Deviousness Award for April 2015 to Anoya.
Showing Some Love
Community Quotes
Nancy is not only a deviant I would consider a friend, but also a deviant that many could not picture DeviantArt without. Her skill in APN photography mixed with her love for the community paints a perfect profile of Anoya. Nancy is also one of the most loving, caring, and wonderful deviants there is. I could not imagine a more perfect match for this month's Deviousness Award. Congratulations, and please, never stop being as amazing as you have been to us all!
I've known Nancy ever since she first volunteered for DeviantArt, she's always been incredibly helpful to everyone and she's consistently uploaded some really fantastic photography. More than that, over the years Nancy has helped me through some tough personal times and she is someone I can always trust with my secrets and always there to offer a friendly ear to my many worries.
Nancy is one of the most adorable and kind people I have come across on DA. She has so much love for the APN galleries and has given them her all both within the Community Volunteer team and outside of it. It's impossible to think of Nancy without smiling because to me she is one of those people that exude love and positivity. She is an incredible photographer and thus an amazing mentor within the APN community, so I am very happy to see her receive the much deserved Deviousness Award.
Anoya and I go way way back. She's one of the first friends I made on deviantART and we both could watch each other grow within the community and be happy for each other. She's ever so enthusiastic to contribute all her energy and positivity in order to create fun and educational projects. As a huge Animal, Plants and Nature Photography fan, she spreads the word and promotes the brightest APN talents on dA. But what makes her really special is the love she spreads among our community! If you ever got the chance to get to know her, you'll agree that her fluffy marshmallow heart is soft and sweet and has a place for each and every one of us. Ik hou van jou, Anoya!
Finding words to describe the impact that Nancy ( Anoya ) has had on me and others is incredibly difficult. She's one of those deviants that just motivates you to want to be active in the DA community and as cliche as it sounds, I really wish that there were more people like her out there.
Nancy was one of my inspirations when I was a newbie in this community. Thanks to her I started going to deviantMeets and I have been to many since. Nancy is one of the kindest and loveliest people you'll meet.
Nancy has inspired me with her Animals and Nature photography since I first stumbled across her gallery. To make her even more awesome she has been an unstoppable force within the community whether she was a community volunteer or not and has injected enthusiasm into many deviants lives!
Nancy is one of the nicest people I've had the pleasure of meeting on this site. Not only is she a absolute sweetheart she is very very talented! I'm so happy to see her get the very well deserved Deviousness Award.
I had the privilege of meeting Nancy in her first stint as a Community Volunteer when she was watching over the Animals, Plants and Nature genre and I was watching over the Photojournalism Genre. She has always and always will love the genre she is passionate for and the community can stand proud to say that it has benefitted from her influence not once, but in both times that she has represented it as a CV. Nancy is an all-rounded loveable character who loves people and is very much a positive influence to every person she comes across. I regard selflessness as a core community spirit and Nancy, without a shadow of a doubt, fulfils this criteria with flying colours. And she owns cats. I mean, who wouldn't love someone who owns and loves cats?!
It’s an honour to be invited to say a few words about Nancy. Unlike many others chosen to comment on these awards I don’t have much insight in the huge behind-the-scenes work done in the community. I haven’t know Nancy for as long as many others around here. I first met her about a year ago while she was on her second term as Community Volunteer for the APN section where she, with her love for nature and a keen eye for good photography, has helped a lot of people get recognition, just take a look at her journals and features and you’ll see my point. During the past year she has become a cherished friend with whom I can always chat about anything, from the very serious to the very silly. One of my favourite personality traits of hers is her Dutch directness, which caught me off guard at first, to sum it up for those unfamiliar with it, don’t ask a question if you don’t want a straightforward honest answer. Despite a number of challenges of her own, she still finds the time and energy to be very active here, putting her heart into the community while being her kind, open, honest and humorous self. How she manages to do this is beyond my understanding. To cut it short, she’s a real gem, an amazing girl who’s an inspiration to the rest of us.
Nancy is one of those people that exudes enthusiasm, kindness, and a love for life. One of those people I respect, look up to, and simply just want to be like. Her dedication to being a photography gallery volunteer and to all the projects she has had her hand in is hard to miss, though I know we are only seeing the tip of the iceburg. Nancy's artwork seems to reflect the honesty and her love of life that is impossible to miss when you meet her nevermind being technically and aesthetically gorgeous. My heart skipped a beat when I heard you were receiving a deviousness award but I am not surprised. It just makes sense! You deserve any and all love sent your way because this place wouldn't be the same without you.
Anyone who has ever interacted with Nancy will know what a generous and truly caring person she is. I've had the honor of being her friend for nearly 10 years, and in that time I've seen how she has poured herself into this community. She not only has been on the volunteer staff at least twice, but she supports and encourages everyone around her, just by being herself. Her photography is a testament how talented and acutely perceptive she is, and her critiques and comments show us what it really looks like to be constructively supportive of other artists. She's one of those who has helped shape the dA community into what it is today, and I know it wouldn't be nearly as great a place without her influence or her presence. I was elated to learn that she was receiving this award. Be assured, she deserves it!
Nancy is an amazing and kind deviant. She does a lot for the APN Photography Community, she also was our adorable Community Volunteer for this Gallery. I appreciate her APN Suggestion Saturday Features, and her own gallery is very beautiful! After being an amazing deviant for almost 11 (eleven!!) years, she is so deserving of the Deviousness Award! Thank you for sharing your photography passion and community spirit with us, Anoya! Keep being awesome!
Nancy is one of those individuals whom you can't help but admire and love for all she has to offer both as a friend and as a strong community member of DeviantArt. Not only is her personality amazing, her artwork and photography reflects that very embodied greatness she has!
I knew about Nancy before I got to know her through being CVs together. Back then she already was known for her great photographs and her friendly character. During our first term together, she proved that she really is that awesome lady. Always supportive, always open-minded and always there for you if you need someone to talk to - no matter if it is as a friend or a CV. With the years Nancy became one of my best friends here on DeviantART and I also got the honor to meet her in real life already. She just makes things a little brighter. Her gallery and her work during both times as a CV show how much she is dedicated to the things she loves. And because of that she also continued to promote artists after leaving the CV team. She is a true gem and no one should miss to get to know her! Congratulations for your Deviousness, Nancy! You are awesome!
What is there to say about Nancy? Absolutely everything! Giggle She is a shining, positive beam of energy that can be found pulsing brightly everywhere she goes. Nancy was an absolutely amazing community volunteer for the APN category of photography. Even though she is now retired from the position, she continues to push the artwork that was suggested to her during her term, so that people can know they were nominated and have their artwork shown to an audience regardless. She is always loving, kind, and attentive. Her selflessness is visible in every action she takes on and off deviantart. Nancy constantly gives back to the community with features, comments/critiques and her loving positive nature. Speaking to her always uplifts the spirits, as she always has a kind word to say and helpful attitude to boot! She is such a positive role model and I am grateful to be able to call her my friend. Her photography is a pleasure to look at, and if you ever have any questions to ask, she makes a great effort to answer your inquires. Her dedication to her craft is an inspiration! Thank you for everything you do Nancy, we as a community appreciate it so much. Keep on shining!
I simply can not imagine DeviantArt without Nancy. When I first came to DA about five years ago she was the community volunteer for the Photography: Animals, Plants and Nature category and her devotion to promoting the category in which I primarily shoot immediately struck me. On a diverse website like DA where photography, particularly nature based photography, often takes a back seat to other categories, a vibrant, enthusiastic and passionate volunteer is a must and Nancy is certainly just that. In 2013 I was delighted to hear of her second term as a APN community volunteer, as I had noticed a big decline in the category, and I knew that she had the passion to promote it the way it should be promoted. Congratulations on the well deserved Deviousness award Nancy. I have said it before, but I will say it again- you are a legend!
I remember when Anoya first came to DA, it was not long after I did. Even when she first came here, one of her main focuses was not just her photography, but also her dedication to the community in general. Always there for those who needed help and advice. As much as her photography is to be admired, she also has an awesome sense of humor and a heart of solid gold that makes her the dearest of friends.
Nancy has been an inspirational figure for the Animals, Plants and Nature Photography Gallery on DeviantArt ever since I joined DeviantArt myself. Her team spirit is infectious and, I have to say, on a personal note, it was an honour to work with Nancy on the Community Relations team. Nancy is not afraid to go beyond the galleries on DeviantArt with the shenanigans that she frequently took part in regarding the Chats & Forums. Even now, as a senior, Nancy constantly supports the community, showing that you don't have to be a Community Volunteer to make a powerful, positive impact. I am so happy Nancy is receiving Deviousness because she deserves it!
