Co-Owner, Senior Designer & Creative Director
Contact: charlie@threebearsdesign.com

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio & Eastern Kentucky.
Current Residence: Highland Square in Akron, Ohio.

1. How long have you been involved with Three Bears?
Since the beginning: 2006.

2. What do you do for Three Bears?
Just about everything. From art direction & design, to client-relations and the dreaded legal stuff. Advertising, strengthening the company brand, & keeping up the website (or sometimes lack thereof). I also dabble in screenprinting, printmaking & photography.

3. What kind of Artistic Background do you have?
Formally trained in Fine Arts since High School. Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and Commercial Art from Ashland University.

4.  Where do you get your inspiration?
I look at good design blogs every day, as a means of staying on top of what is current. I get a lot of ideas from visiting antique stores regularly. My style definitely shows a lot of vintage inspiration, from using older printing techniques, vintage cameras and films, or just utilizing aged textures from all kinds of sources.  I spend a lot of time outside; I really appreciate colors in nature. I also have this really weird obsession with vintage neon signs.

5. What are some things that make you happy?
Time with family & friends; hearing my girlfriend giggle; our cats Gus & June; collecting vinyl records; reading; riding my fixie; shooting photos with Holga & Diana; communal living; environmentalism; bourbon & good beer.

6. Five Albums you currently love:
1. This Will Destroy You’s “Tunnel Blanket”
2. Vetiver’s “The Errant Charm”
3. Trouble Books & Mark McGuire
4. Talons’ “Songs for Boats”
5. 13 & God’s “Own Your Ghost”

External Links:
Charlie’s Design Portfolio & Blog.
Charlie on Dribbble.