ben ✹𓃥✲

✱ hi i'm ben (i sometimes go by kai)
✱ 26 bi & nonbinary he/they
✱ based in california
✱ designer (graphic, site, furry, etc)
✱ reconnecting indigenous

[ 🗨 interests ]╰┈➤ architecture, interior design, y2k, fabric & textile art, ceramics, fursuits, perfumery, fashion, geography (especially coastal / ocean), herpetology, marine bio, isopods, lost media, horror media

i'm ben, an artist / designer / hobbyist from the monterey bay area of california. i work fulltime as a freelancer artist, doing mix of commissions and custom character design work, and working towards running an online merch store.i raise reptiles & isopods both in bioactive terrariums, i love studying architectural / interior design, biology / animal sciences, and making personal characters and headworlds for them to live in

my special interests are pokemon, reptiles/herpetology, and architectural designi have a twitter + tumblr dedicated to sharing architecture (currently on hiatus)
and while you're here check out my oc & fursona pages! thanks for stopping by!

my fursonas

these are my fursonas / mascots!
i have a few of them, but kai is my main mascot, he's really the most important.
the rest are for fun, and i change them often!
they are inspired by different areas/towns of California that are very important to me, where i grew up, where my family is from, where i spent summers or winters, etc

Kai

✱ name: kai laureiro
✱ species: american akita
✱ gender: male he/him
✱ height: varies
✱ hometown: san francisco, ca
✱ occupation: marine biologist or designer
✱ smells like: eucalyptus, tea leaf, monterey cypress
✱ if he was a flavor: s'mores with extra marshmallow
✱ song tycho - a walk
✱ toyhouse link here

friendly bi jock who lives in inner sunset, san francisco. he's my main mascot and fursona! he's inspired by my childhood memories in the san francisco bay area. i also can't decide on his job so i switch from marine biologist to designer lol
his free time he takes advantage of his favorite city - nature days at the golden gate park, walking the coast trails, exploring cool spots in the city. he dresses in a lot of typical coastal sporty streetwear and loves hats + collars.

  • motifs the ocean and coastline, rainy days, foggy mornings, redwood forests, sports + athletics, surf + skate culture, street fashion, house shows, retro toys + games, architecture

design notes:

  • i change his design a lot - no worries about getting it "wrong"!

  • most important features: cheek dots, off white fur + big akita head/neck

  • can have optional speckling / freckles across fur

  • chest tattoos are optional, and can be stylized in any way

  • eyes are any blue, blue green, blue gray, etc! below are some examples:

trivia:

  • he is in a math rock band called state park drive and indie folk rock band called mallard green

sierra

↟ name: sierra westbrook
↟ species: pacific marten
↟ gender: nonbinary genderfluid any pronouns
↟ height: 5'3''
↟ hometown: boulder creek, ca
↟ occupation: park ranger and parttime rattlesnake relocator
↟ smells like: pine needles, cedarwood, oakmoss
↟ if he was a flavor: cold brew with cinnamon vanilla foam
↟ song goth babe - moments/tides
↟ toyhouse link here

a recreation of my oldest fursona (who was an american marten). inspired by childhood memories spent in the santa cruz mountains and general bay area (particularly the town boulder creek.) he's a mix of pacific coast dweller + woodsy mountain vibes, inspired by bother the santa cruz mountains but also the lake tahoe area. he's very much a truesona more than kai is

  • motifs: nature hikes, small town life, quilts and textiles, plant identification, five-panel hats, earthy colors, roadside biker bars, salmon jerky, acorns, pinecones

yarrow

âž¼ name: yarrow ferreira
âž¼ species: california valley coyote
âž¼ gender: genderfluid he/him
âž¼ height: 6'1''
âž¼ hometown: joshua tree, ca
âž¼ occupation: plant nursery technician
âž¼ smells like: desert sage, sweet orange, incense
âž¼ if he was a flavor: citrus herbal iced tea w/ rosemary sage
âž¼ song jaguar sun - cold wind
âž¼ toyhouse link here

old man of the southwest. meant to be much older than me (40s-50s) and i treat him as a comfort fursona. he's themed around 70's as well as mid century modern aesthetics and anything related to the desert. his guilty pleasure is las vegas. he works for the great basin instute as a plant technician teaming up with the national park service at joshua tree

  • motifs: desert life, mid-century modern design, psychedelic art, 70's aesthetics & fashion, tapestries, poetry, candles, incense, road trips, pinyon trees, creosote, wildflower honey, floral iced tea

other fursonas

rain

✱ name: raincoast "rain" vajelho
✱ species: western toothy skink (primarily skilton's skink)
✱ gender: genderfluid he/him
✱ hometown: big sur, california
✱ occupation: architectural designer / student
✱ smells like: crushed wild mint, coastal sagebrush, damp earth
✱ if he was a flavor: lime-yuzu and mint seltzer
✱ song: ford. - tell me (anew)

He grew up around in the scattered 'towns' around Big Sur, California. He went to UC Berkeley for Architecture school where he met my wolfsona, Cypress. He's inspired by the Big Sur area, Santa Lucia Mountains, Highway 1

  • motifs: coastal cliffs, chapparal, beachcombing, concrete material, architecture, wild herbs

Trevor

✱ name: trevor o'neill
✱ species: pacific cormorant / blue footed booby
✱ gender: cis male he/him
✱ hometown: monterey, california
✱ occupation: business owner
✱ smells like: cold fog, marine salt, driftwood, dune grass
✱ if he was a flavor: ???
✱ song: teebs - Studie (feat. Panda Bear)

he owns a skate/surf retail store combined coffee shop called Abalone (i keep changing it's location whether it's Monterey, Santa Cruz, or Outer Sunset SF. whichever i feel in the moment)he's inspired by brandt's cormorant (Urile penicillatus), pied cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius), blue footed booby (Sula nebouxii), and pacific brown booby (S. l. brewsteri) but it's just easier to list the two species ^^" He's inspired by Monterey & Carmel area.

  • motifs: surf shops, local skate culture, little beach houses, foggy sea air, seabirds, aquariums

Idyllwild.

✱ name: matteo "idyllwild" flores
✱ species: rattlesnake / sidewinder (sometimes a fence lizard)
✱ gender: femme genderfluid gay man he/him
✱ hometown: idyllwild, ca
✱ occupation: ceramics artist
✱ smells like: smokey jasmine flower, desert wood, warm spices
✱ if he was a flavor: iced black tea w/ rosewater & prickly pear
✱ song: caribou - can't do without you

a soft, vintage, lovesick cowboy in the colorado desert
inspired by a few species - in particular, Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, and the Colorado Desert Sidewinder. rattlesnakes have been one of my favorite animals since i was young and this character is a homage to that. (sometimes i even depict him as a fence/spiny lizard!) he's also inspired by the dry forested san jacinto mountains in riverside county, california

  • motifs: summertime, mountain pines, desert plants, perfumery, bourbon, coffee, lovecore, florals, homemade ceramics

red

✱ name:
✱ species:
✱ gender: cis male he/him
✱ hometown: some made up town in the pacific northwest
✱ occupation: ???
✱ smells like:
✱ song:
✱ if he was a flavor: ???

fox character i keep working on / off. similar to yarrow he's meant to be older. he's inspired by the most northern parts of california into oregon.

  • wip

my characters

This page is a work in progress
i'll host random pics/galleries of my ocs here!

Joseph "Tex" Saldahna

✱ species: california valley coyote
✱ gender: male he/she
✱ hometown: palm springs, ca
✱ scent: tobacco & orange blossom

A gay hitman based in the Southwest and Southern California area. Main character of my story/headworld so I draw him a lot!!

  • the desert, neon signs, casinos, wildflowers, palm trees, classic cars, cool knives, guns, city night drives, floral prints, roll-your-own cigarettes, fruity cocktails

Orphéon

✱ species: mascot / pool toy / wolfdogpuppy
✱ gender: what
✱ hometown: PARIS / NYC / LA / TOKYO
✱ scent: vinyl plastic & garage fumes

a mascot for a fictional fashion brand. inspired heavily by comme des garcon and similar brands. designed for clothes and collectables and other things. can be made of clear or opaque material, white or shiny silver, covered in stickers/logos, and so on

AeRo

✱ species: airplane dragon
✱ gender: unknown
✱ hometown: the skies...
✱ scent: cool ozonic air & gardenia petals

work in progress etc

  • list of things here

✱ design by: tropicalsteppe

Fen Ranulph

✱ species: eurasian wolf
✱ gender: male he/him
✱ hometown: new york city, ny
✱ occupation: consultant
✱ scent: iris flower & leather sandalwood

Fenrir is a white-collar businessman from New York City, working at a consulting & accounting firm Lupus & Vulpes. A love interest for Tex in my story - Fen hires Tex as a personal (and strictly) bodyguard, but they end up becoming close friends.

  • contemporary design, art deco, autumn and winter, libraries, art and history museums, perfumery, whiskey, rare steak, dark chocolate, tiramisu, affogato

cirrus

✱ species: angel (wolf)
✱ gender: genderless it/they/he
✱ hometown: spawned in at 43°10'59.2"N 111°56'47.0"W
✱ occupation: ?????
✱ scent: rosewater & tea leaves

not to be confused with the generic black wolf i usually draw, this is more of an angel themed character and anthro. sometimes i pair him with church the coyote

  • list of things here

Church Casino

✱ species: demon (coyote)
✱ gender: genderless he/it
✱ hometown: Truth or Consequences, NM
✱ occupation: conman
✱ scent: burnt piñon pine & monsoon creosote

An oldish character of mine I used for experimental art that has more desert landscapes or psychedelic feeling. A mysterious desert dweller, canyon wanderer, night road rider... known by locals as a cryptid, a werecoyote, a trickster, a conman, a gambler... he is a demon but he's not actually all that powerful. wanders the southwest in search of interesting things.

  • dark canyons, old gas stations, cowboy western wear, flashy outfits, smell of the high desert after a thunder storm, gold, rattlesnakes, black coffee, raw meat, clove cigarettes, low riders

Cocoa

✱ species: japanese macaque
✱ gender: nonbinary any pronouns
✱ hometown: toronto, canada
✱ occupation: professional snowboarder
✱ scent: banana smoothie & coconut milk

monkey who happens to be a pro snowboarder...
Lives in a world visually similar to Inkopolis/Splatoon.. but all animals

  • winter sports, bonfires, boba cafes

✱ design by: MunchMonster

Canyon

✱ species: red-tailed hawk
✱ gender: nonbinary he/they
✱ hometown: tucson, arizona
✱ occupation: photographer
✱ scent: dark roast coffee & vanilla clove

just a fun bird oc for whenever i feel like drawin a bird :]

  • film photography, heavy work jackets

Aquarius

✱ species: bobbitt worm
✱ gender: male he/him
✱ hometown: fantasy beach, ca
✱ occupation: life guard
✱ scent: green palm leaves & water lily
✱ pinterest: [link here]

from a (made up) town called fantasy beach, with white sands, quaint pastel beach motels and breezy palm trees. works as a lifeguard, alternating for the beach and a local resort pool.

  • iridescent, holographic, and glittery materials, pool water, seashells, bath bombs, stickers, pink plastic, floral perfume

✱ design by: vhsdruid

Coast.

✱ species: sea otter
✱ gender: trans male he/him
✱ hometown: santa cruz, ca
✱ occupation: surf instructor
✱ scent: sea mineral & old leather

retired pro surfer turned surf instructor based in capitola/santa cruz. lives in a navy blue craftsman house, in pleasure point.

  • neoprene smell, driftwood art, coconut surf wax, verve coffee

my kintypes

you found my secret kin page!!i've had 'kin' feelings since i was a kid, before the internet. i always attached to a specific animal or group of animals throughout my life, and the types of animals has shifted but almost always around canines + reptiles! this is a page where i list my current animal kin for fun

Primary

wild canids - wolves, coyotes
gray foxes
american akita

Secondary

mustelids - primarily american marten
rattlesnakes, corn/rat snakes
sea birds, marine birds

wolves

  • i especially love mexican wolves and sea wolves

  • as well as wolfdogs, coywolves, and coyotes

gray foxes

  • sometimes other north american fox species (kit fox, red fox)

american akita

  • im also sorta kin with shepherd / sled / spitz type dogs. anything that vaguely resembles a wolf or wolfy features for sure

mustelids (primarily martes)

  • american marten and pacific marten primarily! + sables

  • not really european martens

rattlesnakes

  • pretty much any rattlesnake species :) but i do have a softspot for pacific and speckled

Lampropeltini

  • corn snakes, rat snakes, gopher snakes, pine snakes, king snakes, etc

besides animal kin i SOMETIMES (primarily in my youth) kin fictional characters. at this moment, my only fictional kin is my own oc, Tex! thats right - he's not a fursona, but an oc that i kin?? it's a bit strange but maybe someone out there can relate. but I DO have pokemon kin as a species!

pokemon kin

dog
of paradise

my oc tex, main character of dog of paradise

you may see me talk about my story 'Dog of Paradise'I've been working on it since 2014, It follows main character, tex. it mainly takes place in the los angeles and palm springs areas and is focused on various hitmen and character interactions in this dark but also colorful kind of world.It's actually currently on hiatus as I've been really busy with art as a full time job. But I hope to return to it soon! A lot of the info + character designs are old and go back years and are due for updates!i have a carrd + toyhouse folder where i go more in depth to the world, even talk about the worldbuilding, places and locations and so on.

"Sometimes you feel like you wanna be a hero
Other times you just want to sit around and drink some booze
But me and the boys, we just hang out in the disco
So we don't have to choose"

rio - low cut connie

lone moutain

Lone Mountain is a slice of life, small town drama centered around LGBT romance. Focusing on a friend group who grew up the Monte Toyon area forest communities. They remained in town after graduation, despite many peers outside their close group leaving for college.
The story and cast deal with romance, gender/sexuality feelings, post high school/college feelings, longing for a different life away from home

lorem ipsum

trauma

working / temporary title

A medical drama taking place at the fictional Westwood Medical Center's trauma unit / emergency room. Ranked #12 in the states, WMC, or Westwood Health, is a non-profit & medical research center, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Famous for it's emergency and level 1 adult and pediatrics trauma centers, and level 3 prenatal care. It competes with NYMed and Cedar Lake Hospital.While it is a serious story / drama, it does play around with early-mid 2000s medical dramas (think House, Greys Anatomy, etc) , a bit of y2k feeling, music, tropes... etc.

jack

✱ species: timber/mexican wolf
✱ gender: male [he/him]
✱ hometown: lompico, ca
✱ occupation: forester
✱ scent: sage & vetiver
✱ pinterest: [link here]

soft dog jock with a coastal beachy vibe. lives in inner sunset, san francisco, though he's originally from santa cruz. in his free time he loves visiting botanical gardens or mt. sutro, working at the gym, or making art

  • forest hikes, mountain views, small town life, rivers and creeks, wildflowers, five-panel hats, earthy colors, flannels and quilts, roadside biker bars, salmon jerky

design notes:

  • i change his design a lot - no worries about getting it "wrong"!

  • most important features: cheek dots, off white fur + big akita head/neck

  • can have optional speckling / freckles across fur

  • chest tattoos are optional, and can be stylized in any way

  • eyes are any blue, blue green, blue gray, etc! below are some examples:

SANTO

✱ name(s): santo mulholland
✱ species: california valley coyote
✱ gender: male he/him
✱ hometown: palm springs, ca
✱ occupation: ??
✱ scent:
✱ pinterest: [link here]

soft dog jock with a coastal beachy vibe. lives in inner sunset, san francisco, though he's originally from santa cruz. in his free time he loves visiting botanical gardens or mt. sutro, working at the gym, or making art

  • forest hikes, mountain views, small town life, rivers and creeks, wildflowers, five-panel hats, earthy colors, flannels and quilts, roadside biker bars, salmon jerky

design notes:

  • i change his design a lot - no worries about getting it "wrong"!

  • most important features: cheek dots, off white fur + big akita head/neck

  • can have optional speckling / freckles across fur

  • chest tattoos are optional, and can be stylized in any way

  • eyes are any blue, blue green, blue gray, etc! below are some examples: