About

Bertholt [Bair’tohlt] noun, Designer

"Voldemort, would you please pass the potatoes"

Asked my best friend’s grandmother at their family’s Thanksgiving dinner. My name is actually ‘Bertholt’ but I have heard many variations through the years so nothing surprises me anymore, don’t worry if you get it wrong. Here is a my story:

My roots are in Industrial Design​

I grew up drawing dinosaurs and robots. But it wasn’t until I visited an industrial design firm that I realized I didn’t want to just draw stuff. I wanted to design. I wanted not just a craft to hone, but technical problems to solve.

My career started at a small agency that required working within many disciplines while delivering excellent results. I wore all these hats: 3D animator, 3D artist, 3D CAD modeler, motion graphics artist, industrial designer, packaging designer, graphic designer, exhibit designer, illustrator, and project manager. I made shit that got patented and I worked with fortune 500 companies.

This CPG render is emblematic of my first job. I often was responsible for designing a packaging structure, concept graphics, and creating the final 3D render for consumer testing.
When I first started my business, I attended many innovation sessions as an illustrator. I think my record is 50 concept sketches in a day. *whew*
When I first started my business, I attended many innovation sessions as an illustrator. I think my record is 50 concept sketches in a day. *whew*
My industrial design background ground in me the sketching skills to illustrate shelving and product concepts for quantitative and qualitative research.
My industrial design background ground in me the sketching skills to illustrate shelving and product concepts for quantitative and qualitative research.
Frameri Eyewear was my first big product design project after going independent. Noel Gautheir, myself, and the Frameri team developed an interchangeable lens system.
Frameri Eyewear was my first big product design project after going independent. Noel Gautheir, myself, and the Frameri team developed an interchangeable lens system.
I designed Frameri Eyewear's first line of frames and worked with the Italian manufacturer to produce them. It was ridiculously fun.
I designed Frameri Eyewear's first line of frames and worked with the Italian manufacturer to produce them. It was ridiculously fun.
We moved from Cincinnati to Buffalo (where we would stay for 9 years). I got deeply embedded into the startup community and worked on some really special projects.
We moved from Cincinnati to Buffalo (where we would stay for 9 years). I got deeply embedded into the startup community and worked on some really special projects.
Buffalo was a city going through a special resurgence. There was a lot of energy, amazing transformations, and interesting work.
Buffalo was a city going through a special resurgence. There was a lot of energy, amazing transformations, and interesting work.
While living in Buffalo, I took a wild opportunity to be the lead industrial designer at a local startup, Bak USA. Here is a dock and keyboard I designed for our rugged tablet line.
While living in Buffalo, I took a wild opportunity to be the lead industrial designer at a local startup, Bak USA. Here is a dock and keyboard I designed for our rugged tablet line.
For 2 years, I designed tablets, laptops, and accessories while working with our partners in Shenzhen.
For 2 years, I designed tablets, laptops, and accessories while working with our partners in Shenzhen.
Designing our own laptop line was a priority as we wanted to address many issues, especially stylus charging and racking. This concept elegantly solved the stylus issues with an integrated magnetic charging well.
Designing our own laptop line was a priority as we wanted to address many issues, especially stylus charging and racking. This concept elegantly solved the stylus issues with an integrated magnetic charging well.
We designed the stylus to not roll off the desk and to naturally drop into the charging well. It had to be intuitive.
We designed the stylus to not roll off the desk and to naturally drop into the charging well. It had to be intuitive.
These are concept sketches of my first qualitative research infographic. In the research shareout meeting one of the clients said: “this is the coolest fucking thing I’ve ever seen come out of research”. That marked the beginning of something new.

But I wanted to forge my own path​

In 2013, with a new baby and the risk of eating all our savings, my wife supported me in starting my own business. She’s an amazing lady.

So I started doing all the same things, but for startups. It was wildly fun, stressful, and exciting. I started making infographics first for researchers then for startups.

As with industrial design, these projects are not about making something that just looks pretty. It has to work. It has a job and it needs to meet specific goals. This is why I do it like no one else. It’s because I’m an industrial designer, not just an illustrator.

I also love good coffee

I drink a black pour-over every morning and fashion an ironic mustache with thick glasses. This probably means I’m a hipster.

I’m slightly obsessed with Lego, a dedicated yogi, a student of Jesus, a Pats AND Bills fan (it may not make sense, but not everything has to), and love hiking mountain forests. I’m a husband and a father of two delightful daughters.

We live in Attleboro, MA–a sweet little place between Providence and Boston. You can probably find me at the Burgundian. Say hi, I’d love to bump into you!