Spades (aka Tyler Macklin) is a fire performer from Portland, Oregon. He was first entranced with fire in 2007 when he experienced it at the Oregon Country Fair. Immediately he researched ways to build his own fire toys and began teaching himself in his spare time. After three years of keeping it to himself, Spades decided to start taking the art seriously and began doing public performances and teaching workshops around Oregon. At first he organized groups around Eugene and Portland, but soon realized he could reach many more people by traveling to various festivals first around the west coast and then beyond.