I've been a maker ever since I can remember. It started with crayons, construction paper and glue, then developed into several interesting full-time jobs, like woodworker, arts and crafts instructor, print layout artist, professional illustrator and industrial designer. I have always had at least one project on my work table, usually more.
The same goes for gaming. I grew up playing Milles Borne, Scrabble and Triominoes with my friends and family. And "game night" remained an important part of my schedule after I left home. When I actually went to work for a game publisher, it was like throwing fertilizer on a patch of kudzu. Today, my home is filled with games and I've spent thousands of hours rolling dice, dealing cards and moving little plastic counters.
I left the game publishing industry about four years ago. Since then, I make my living as an illustrator and a graduate student. I'm currently researching how to use the elements of games to enhance traditionally non-gaming activities.
