CJ Shearwood is an Artist

CJ lives in Nottingham, where they paint, sculpt, write games and make games. You can find some of those games at Epigram Games.

They have spoken at conferences in the past, usually about programming but also often about space. You might know me from my PyCon UK 2025 talk “I’m a Luddite, Why Aren’t You?”.

They can also be found on Bluesky at @cj.shearwood.games.

FAQ

• What do you do for a living?
  I am Head of API Development for 345 Global where I help make software for retail space planning. Obviously, nothing here has anything to do with my day job and is entirely my own opinion and I am not authorised to talk on behalf of my employer.
• Why did you shorten your name from Connor to CJ?
  Back when Twitter wasn’t run for the sole entertainment of a cut price nazi, I decided to switch my online presences from half a dozen nomme de plume to my own name, and settled on using an initialism in my username as it looked more professional. People started calling me CJ and I realised, hey, this is a neat name, and so I’ve mostly switched. I will still respond to both, and professionally I am mostly still Connor for continuity reasons.
• Can I contact you about a business opportunity/professional engagement/conference talk proposal?
  Personal and software-professional proposals should go to connor@shearwood.work although please note, I cannot travel to the USA for the forseeable future for personal reasons. Also, please do not contact me regarding my employer.
  Game/miniature proposals or questions should go to connor@shearwood.games or contact@epigram.games as you see fit.
• Why do you call yourself a luddite?
  You should really watch the talk, or read Blood in the Machine by Brian Merchant, but in short, the Luddites fought against capitalists using technology to erode their lives rather than against technological progress. Most of the history of the luddites has been purposefully suppressed to reduce them to anti-technological rioters. As I say in the talk, I am for a future where we value human creativity, dignity and agency and that puts me at odds with the people who run the companies that control much of our lives. That’s why I call myself a Luddite.