 The inspiration for Art-o-mat came to Whittington while observing a friend who had a Pavlovian reaction to the crinkle of cellophane.When Whittington's friend heard someone opening a snack, he had the uncontrollable urge to have one too.After moving to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Whittington was set to have a solo art show at a local cafe, Penny Universitie (now Di Lisio's Italian Restaurant).