Before there was MacCase, there was Studiopack. I was teaching transportation design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York when I went to buy a backpack to transport my art supplies back and forth to class. A friend of mine from Detroit, ex-Ford designer Paul Snyder, was also in need of the same product. Together, fueled by our passion for innovation, we sketched out the blueprint for what would become the groundbreaking Studiopack, earning us a coveted patent. I moved to Southern California and launched DesignStar. In just two short years, what began as a single backpack portfolio evolved into a diverse line of ten exceptional products. I had made the transition from designer to entrepreneur.

From the lightweight Studiopack Lt. to the compact Studiopack Jr. and the versatile Mini version, each offering catered to the unique needs of artists on the move. The next breakthrough product was the Studiopack F/E (for French easel). Another patent was received for the design which allowed artists to take their French easel paint box to heretofore unreachable locations to make their art. I learned so much from creating and running this young company. These were products customers loved but the creative materials industry wasn’t interested in innovation. Ah, the irony of life. This led to a lot of personal frustration which created the environment to launch MacCase.