Today marks the first day of my employment as a Theme Wrangler with Automattic and it feels great. I’m more than excited to finally let you know what I’ve been up to for the last little bit.
What can I say besides awesome, awesome, awesome? The enormous opportunity for learning and improvement; all the super-talented, friendly people; the chance to work on so many really, really cool projects—it’s almost unbelievable. This is a dream job for me.
So, yes, really excited. To say the least. And I don’t want to say too much right now so I’m going to keep this short. Though I imagine you have one very big question you’d like me to get to.
What’s Going To Happen To ThemeShaper?
Only exciting stuff.
First of all, I’m excited to officially announce that all the commercial Thematic Child Themes I’ve created are now free to download without charge.
Go download them, have fun with them, and make something really cool.
Now, this’ll be a big change for ThemeShaper but here’s an even bigger one: ThemeShaper isn’t just my blog anymore.
This is going to be awesome.
ThemeShaper will become a public-facing blog for the Theme Team now assembling at Automattic. A place where we can help provide the best possible experience for everyone involved in WordPress theming; from the noobiest of beginners to the most powerful of WordPress wizards.
Or like I said above, this is going to be awesome.
Stay tuned to the ThemeShaper blog for more updates. And if you’ve got some ideas for what you’d like to see here I’d love to hear them. Let me know what you think in the comments.
ThemeShaper 
117 responses
I was like 99% sure you were joining Automattic with all your hints, but the change for the Theme Shaper site was definitely unexpected.
Congratulations on the new job. I’m excited to see what you’ll be doing around here too.
First of all congratulations for getting an awesome job.:). Lets see which theme you are going to give us in wordpress 3.0.:)
Congratulations on your new job Ian – what a fabulous opportunity! 🙂
Glad to hear that ThemeShaper isn’t going away. Sounds like there are some really awesome things planned for the site. 😀
Congratulations Ian,
This is great news for the community. Took me by surprise, but it just makes perfect sense. Looking forward to some more details on some of the targets in your sights – I’m sure exciting times are ahead!
Congratulations! That certainly is a dream job, for us WordPress obsessed folk at least.
Congratulations on the new job Ian. How exciting indeed this must be for you. Very curious to see what’s going to happen to Themeshaper.
Ever since I saw the “Theme Czar” job description on the Automattic Jobs page, I always thought you’d be the perfect fit for it. I guess I was (partially) right. 😀
Really excited about the changes to the blog too. These are definitely exciting times for WordPress theming.
Hi Ian, that’s awesome news. Judging by the responsible way you’ve promoted your products in the past, this move will mean some really spectacular things for the community as a whole.
Best of luck.
Congratulations Ian. Have always been impressed by your theme coding skills and now we are only going to expect best thinking you are in the theme team.
Can’t wait to see the new stuff on themeshaper.
Ian,
Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. 🙂
Congratulations on the new job!
A Fabulous opportunity join. many many many congrats and keep up the good work.
Please don’t forget this workplace and keep updating Themeshaper with exciting stuff ! 😉
Congratulations! I really debated which blog/CMS I wanted to invest my time and energy into learning. When I discovered the Thematic theme I was swayed to WP…This news confirms that I made the right choice!
Congrats Ian, hope to see more focus on the child theme presentation at WordPress.org in the future then. 🙂
Fantastic; you fit the part perfectly. Congratulations.
Gratz 🙂
I can suggest to add updated wp3.0 custom post type full guide for beginners. This is really a big issue, there is no official info about this
Congratulations Ian, so happy for you and lookin forward to find what Themeshaper will bring in the years to come to us WpAddicts.
I suspected they were going to snap you up. 🙂 Good move all around.
[…] to something bigger happening in his life. Today, we learn what that something is. Ian Stewart has become the newest member of the Automattic team. Today marks the first day of my employment as a Theme Wrangler with […]
Congrats Ian! I think that’s great news for you, but also for all WP users. Bravo!
Awesome man, just awesome. Like Justin, I was already fairly certain you had signed up with Automattic. I can’t wait to see what’s coming down the pipe!
Simply fantastic news. I have to ‘digest’ the notice because is a very big one. I have greatly shocked 🙂
Congratulations!
Congratulations!!! Well deserved. I never would have guessed 😉 I look forward to seeing some awesome wrangling in the future!!
What’s happening with thematic? Does this mean that thematic will be a core theme in the future?
Congratulations on your new job! We’re excited, keep up the good community work!
Wow! I’m very excited for you Ian, and of course for the WP community! Congrats!
Congrats! Very Cool!
First, congratulations — what an opportunity to work with WP right from the core!
I too will be interested to hear what’s going to happen with Thematic – will that stay here or get spun off into its own site/project?
Awesome man, congrats! A great addition to the Automattic team. Anxious to see what things are in store from the Theme Team
I’m here to be amazed.
Congrats!
Congrat!, it ‘s become a dream to works at Automattic like you as I have apply there but there is no response. So let us know if there is any new jobs in there.
Congratulations!
Win for you, win for Automattic, but mostly a win for all us WP hackers that you help so much!
Congrats Ian.
I’d like to share with you a pearl of wisdom given to me by my uncle: “With great power comes great responsibility.” At least, I think my uncle said it. Maybe it was that rice guy. At any rate, it’s good food for thought. 🙂
I’m looking forward to seeing how you can shake things up.
Congratulations, Ian!Wow, what a ride – awesome indeed! And well deserved.
Totally excited with what you will come up next at Automattic.
Congrats again!
Looks like a win win win situation.
Well done and congratulations Ian! Now I am looking forward to WP3.0 more than ever…
Huge move and I am sure you will be a perfect fit
Congratulations! This is a testament to your hard work and determination on making themes and theme building accessible to all. The future of WordPress themes just got stronger.
Very cool news for us and awesomely awesome for you 🙂
I didn’t know you that well before I started working with Kirby, but your code made a good first impression. 🙂 I’m very excited to be working with you now full-time!
Congrats! I look forward to seeing what you’ll accomplish now that you’re apart of the core “team.”
Best wishes.
Congrats Ian. Kind of a bummer for those who paid for your pro-themes before. But this is great news. All the best.
As with everyone above, congrats! Great move by Automattic.
Wow Ian and congrats both to you and Automattic. You get your dream job and they get one of the best WP theme developers around. Can’t wait to see what happens next!!!
Congrats! can’t wait to see New ThemeShaper.
This is really, really cool!
I could not think of a better person to care for the development of themes, than you.
I hope you’re happy and do a great job there!
Greetings from Brazil
Hey now, congratulations! I can’t think of a better person to be in your job than you!
Congratulations Ian, sounds like a perfect match.
Congrats Ian! I am looking forward to what you create while at Automattic!
Awesome to have you as part of Automattic Ian!
Great news for all of us who care about WordPress. Congratulations to you, but also to Automattic for having the sense to put you on the payroll.