I’m Shampton. I’ve been pushing pixels since I was 7. From playing with print shop on the Apple ii at Whitman Elementary in Chicago to playing Pac Man in the arcade and Jumpman on the Commodore 64 to making websites as an “adult”, I see the world through pixellated glasses. My “current” favorite game is Katamari Damacy. This love of pixels is why I make jewelry, tshirts and art inspired by old school videogames.
My father was a mechanic and grandfather was a carpenter so I’ve always tinkered with things. I had a lego addiction in my twenties that I needed to shake. Make magazine started, my wife was making things with shrinky dinks and I started to get ideas. There was also a broken Ikea dresser that I just couldn’t let go of. I didn’t know why. I eventually realized I was saving it so I could free the pixels from it. It became my first piece of pixellated art.
I love making people smile with the things I make. At shows, I watch people as they approach my booth and their eyes twinkle as they recognize something. Its awesome. The worst thing is that I can’t make every game. I’d like for everyone to have that feeling when they’re in my booth but I only have so much space.
What I make now is just the beginning. I’m thrilled to be at Maker Faire this year. Make helped me along this path and hopefully being here this weekend will inspire me to bring my pixels to the next level.