Hi, I'm Art Luke
Proof that you can start fixing HVAC systems and end up fixing cloud infrastructure.
I'm currently keeping the skies safe as an IT Specialist in the US Air Force, where I wrangle Kubernetes clusters and migrate legacy systems to the cloud. (Spoiler: the cloud is just someone else's computer, but don't tell anyone.)
The Journey
My career path reads like I was trying to collect every tech job like Pokémon cards. I've been a VFX artist, a multimedia developer who built things in CryENGINE (yes, the video game engine), a WebGL wizard creating shaders that would make your GPU sweat, and somewhere in there, I supervised a chemical pump system and fixed air handlers. Because nothing says "full-stack developer" quite like knowing your way around both a MongoDB database and a chiller unit.
Technical Arsenal
I speak fluent JavaScript, Python, C++, and Kubernetes YAML (the last one mostly consists of me googling indentation errors). I've built everything from RESTful APIs to particle effects to tools that prevent artists from having to do repetitive tasks — because automation is just laziness wrapped in code, and I mean that as a compliment.
What I Do Now
These days, I'm leading teams, designing enterprise cloud solutions, and occasionally explaining to people that "the cloud" won't literally rain on their data. My superpower? Translating complex technical concepts into words that won't make stakeholders' eyes glaze over.
TL;DR
Art school kid turned Air Force tech lead who can code, design, lead teams, and probably still fix your air conditioner if you ask nicely.