beth maher

Illustration and Gamedesign

Lover of kitties, fine cheeses, screwball comedies and all things cute.

Indie game maker. Hobbyist mom.

Here's me!

I'm eating a pistachio madeline in Paris on my Honeymoon. (You can imagine it's how I want to be thought of always.)

madeline.JPG

Here's some of my press:

"More esteemed developers, artists, join IGF 2015 Jury Panel." (Jan. 2015) IGF.com.

"Taking on the challenges of  being a mom in game development." (Jan. 23, 2014) By Leigh Alexander. Gamastura.com

"Female video game-changers." (Nov. 25 2011) by The National. CBC Television.

"IGF 2013 highlights Visual Art, Audio Award jurors." (Dec. 17, 2012) IGF.com.

"Interview with Beth Maher - Inventor of: the Kreayshawn Game." (Nov, 11 2011) by Lauren O'Neil. Pinkmafia.com.

"Beth Maher, Kreayshawn and the chicks who climb fences." (Nov. 13 2011) by Lauren O'Neil. Laurenoutloud.com. 

"Kreayshawn Has a Video Game, In Which She Shoots Down "Basic Bitches"." (Oct. 26, 2011) by Andrea Domanick. Laweekly.com.

"Meeting the women who put the difference in the Difference Engine.” (Oct. 11, 2011) by Zack Kotzer. A.V.Club: Toronto.

"Kreayshawn, the Game." (Oct. 27, 2011) by Jane Marie. thehairpin.com.

"Kreayshawn the Game." (Oct. 27. 2011) by Jason Kottke. Kottke.org.

"Contribute to Kreayshawn fatigue by playing an 8-bit video game." (Oct. 11, 2011) by Genvieve Koski. AVclub.com.

"Kreayshawn Wears Leopard Facemask, Gets Her Own Video Game." (Oct. 31, 2011) by Gaby Wilson. mtv.com. 

"Kreayshawn: the Video Game has Arrived.” (Oct. 11, 2011) by Jacob Moore. Complex.com.

"Kreayshawn gets her own Video Game.” (Oct .11, 2011) by Matthew Perpetua. RollingStone.com.

"Kreayshawn Gets a Video Game.” (Oct. 11, 2011) by Nick Spain. TheFader.com. 

"MITTAGSPAUSE? SWAG!” (Oct. 12, 2011) by Thomas Vorreyer Spex.de.

How did I start making games? 

Well, I was always going to be an artist - I've always drawn, painted, played with vectors and pixels - but I started making video games a few years ago when I experienced a confluence of tragedies in my life. I felt I needed a change, and the change stuck. 

The first game I made went viral, and even though I finally became a mother shortly after that, I've kept my hand in.

I make my own little games both board and video (though not as many as I'd like while chasing around a toddler), help out on others (usually by making extraordinarily cutsey pixel art) and mentor with Dames Making Games. I was on the jury for the 2013 and the 2015 IGF Awards. I have run workshops on creativity and ideation for video games - kinda like an art school crash course for the tech set, as well as teaching children and other newcomers how to start making their own games. I'm always up for collaboration and I have dabbled in graphic design and like to whip up logos for my friends. 

My spare time informs my game making, and some of my hobbies include: cooking comfort food, searching for beautiful  children's books in thrift stores, watching things set between-the-wars, crafting and DIY with tactile things like paper and fabric, and learning about mid-century design. 

If you have inquiries of any kind, feel free to contact me using this handy, dandy form: