Meet Deanna Biesemeyer of Skypro Costumes in Southwest corner of Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deanna Biesemeyer.

Deanna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was 12 years old when I made my first costume. Heavily influenced by the show Naruto, I created a character from it called kyuubi the nine tailed fox. Little did I know, this would be the first of many. I made short Youtube videos of me building costumes and soon after I would find myself captured by the eyes of the furry fandom. Soon after, I was flooded with commissions and this has been my full-time job and passion for the last 14 years, and still going strong.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My life was always a struggle striving to be an artist with many obstacles in my way. My mother having to raise two kids on her own after tragically losing her husband to cancer not long after I was born. Growing up was hard for all of us. Never having money for art supplies, I had to make do with what I had around me. School was never in my favor as I would ask to have an art class but I was never allowed to take them, so I had to learn on my own. From building a mask out of duct tape and baling wire to now having the skills to sculpt and foam cast my heads, the journey to where I am now was a long and hard road with many heartbreaks, trial and errors, and sleepless nights.

Skypro Costumes – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I like to tell people I make wearable pieces of artwork. You could call them mascots or fursuits. It all starts with someone bringing their character to me on a reference sheet. I plan out the type of faux furs I will use, colors and specifics like outdoor feet with rubber soles, or more detailed ones with pawpads called “indoor feet.” Some projects go as far as adding leads to the costume. I’ve sold my work to mostly freelance mascoters or fursuiters. In return, I have seen my work go to Japan, China, Germany, Australia and many other places around the world, and in return I see them put to good use. Many of the pieces I have sold have done great work in helping raise thousands of dollars in charity work or helping someone who has found themselves stuck in a social bubble helping another express themselves in many colorful ways.

We always love to ask about the support network – have there been people, perhaps mentors or advisors, who have played a big role in your success?
My mother has supported me through this difficult road called life, but I could never repay her for the love and support she gave me along my artistic journey. Even though she did not understand at first, she quickly saw the joy it brought me and many others and supported me whenever she could. She taught me how to use a sewing machine, and tried helping me when I found myself stuck and puzzled on a project even going as far as scraping pennies or selling things of her own secrets to help me buy supplies. She has been my rock and I can’t believe she is still single, lol.

Pricing:

• Full detailed costumes can run anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 depending on detail.

Contact Info:

• Website: Skyprocostumes.com
• Email: Skyprocommissions@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ino89777/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Skyprocostumes?lang=en
• Other: https://twitter.com/TheInodog?lang=en

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.