- Joined
- Feb 27, 2003
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Marco daManlius is the owner of the business, Marco daManlius Designs, based in Liverpool, New York, USA. He is profoundly deaf and has 40 years’ experience in art, design, and drafting.
How did you come to be deaf?
I was born hard of hearing, blind in one eye, and underweight. I was fitted with a hearing aid when I was two and a half years old. I lost most of my remaining hearing to Ménière’s in 2004.
What made you decide to start your business?
When I was eight years old, my first project was a 1970s Ariens Arrow 300ss Snowmobile that had a free-air engine. It was overheating because the cowl they designed had NO vent to cool the engine. My father asked me where we should put the vent and the rest is history. I wanted to be a designer at that moment because I felt excited about doing something with that nature of creativity and wanted to express my freedom of design.
How did you get your business get started?
I started because of frustration with finding work with a design firm. After years of taking courses in art, design, and liberal arts in college and graduating from vocational training school with AutoCAD drafting and design, I was unable to find full-time employment in the automotive, snowmobile, and recreational vehicle industry, which motivated me to establish my business and my own career. I had occasional free-lance work during childhood and had more free-lancing after high school and kept on working with clients everywhere, as far away as San Jose, Costa Rica! I began my own design firm in 2003.
What are some of the big milestones of your business?
The 1970s snowmobile I mentioned was the first one. In 1985, I did research on snowmobiles and contacted a manufacturer to make a snowmobile with a popular 1970s name, built with a hammerhead cowl design, which was made available in 1989. A huge milestone for me, it was! While I was working on the snowmobile design, I redesigned an old factory, converting it to a storefront right by the main highway in Syracuse, New York. In 2008, I was one of two artists in Central America hired to draw sign language concepts for their book, “Biblical Signs of Central America” (copyrighted by a non-profit missionary board and published), which sold out quickly. This was one of my biggest international impressions. I attended the Design Forum in Detroit during the North American International Automobile Show (NAIAS). I was the first and only deaf designer at that fancy event that rival the Oscars for actors. There were many big names in that “big league” of automobile designers, such as those from General Motors, Chrysler, Motorsports Design, AutoWeek, etc. I also recently designed a new Deaf-owned campground to be built in Earlville, New York. I designed their new lodge and bunkhouses as a presentation with the storyboard. I am not a licensed Architect, however, as they wanted my designs to be their interpretation to the architects.
What does this business provide or sell today?
We service industrial design clients who are individuals, companies, corporations, and organizations, and that covers automotive, motorsports (including snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, etc), and recreational vehicle design. We provide illustrations, renderings, sketches, and murals. We also provide services with AutoCAD drafting and design. We use many mediums as well, such as pencils, pens, and markers for designing. We can even design logos and layouts based on various media needs. We can do architectural only when it comes to renderings and concept but not full architectural services. You can go to my web site at http://www.marcodamanliusdesigns.com and click on “PORTFOLIO” at the very top to see some of my past work.
Where do you see your business going in five or ten years?
Today, my company has expanded beyond just a design studio, designing vehicles, products, architectural places, etc., onward to building prototypes and concept vehicles as well as part of the restarting of the business. Eventually, we will manufacture them to sell on the market. Prototypes and concept vehicles will be shown at shows such as Deaf Nation Expos, North American International Automobile Show (NAIAS), the recreational vehicle manufacturers’ show in Louisville, KY, and elsewhere to gain greater exposure of our business. When we have enough business to expand, we will grow into manufacturing.
Visit Marco’s website at http://www.marcodamanliusdesigns.com/
More Interviews at http://www.hearingaidblog.com/
How did you come to be deaf?
I was born hard of hearing, blind in one eye, and underweight. I was fitted with a hearing aid when I was two and a half years old. I lost most of my remaining hearing to Ménière’s in 2004.
What made you decide to start your business?
When I was eight years old, my first project was a 1970s Ariens Arrow 300ss Snowmobile that had a free-air engine. It was overheating because the cowl they designed had NO vent to cool the engine. My father asked me where we should put the vent and the rest is history. I wanted to be a designer at that moment because I felt excited about doing something with that nature of creativity and wanted to express my freedom of design.
How did you get your business get started?
I started because of frustration with finding work with a design firm. After years of taking courses in art, design, and liberal arts in college and graduating from vocational training school with AutoCAD drafting and design, I was unable to find full-time employment in the automotive, snowmobile, and recreational vehicle industry, which motivated me to establish my business and my own career. I had occasional free-lance work during childhood and had more free-lancing after high school and kept on working with clients everywhere, as far away as San Jose, Costa Rica! I began my own design firm in 2003.
What are some of the big milestones of your business?
The 1970s snowmobile I mentioned was the first one. In 1985, I did research on snowmobiles and contacted a manufacturer to make a snowmobile with a popular 1970s name, built with a hammerhead cowl design, which was made available in 1989. A huge milestone for me, it was! While I was working on the snowmobile design, I redesigned an old factory, converting it to a storefront right by the main highway in Syracuse, New York. In 2008, I was one of two artists in Central America hired to draw sign language concepts for their book, “Biblical Signs of Central America” (copyrighted by a non-profit missionary board and published), which sold out quickly. This was one of my biggest international impressions. I attended the Design Forum in Detroit during the North American International Automobile Show (NAIAS). I was the first and only deaf designer at that fancy event that rival the Oscars for actors. There were many big names in that “big league” of automobile designers, such as those from General Motors, Chrysler, Motorsports Design, AutoWeek, etc. I also recently designed a new Deaf-owned campground to be built in Earlville, New York. I designed their new lodge and bunkhouses as a presentation with the storyboard. I am not a licensed Architect, however, as they wanted my designs to be their interpretation to the architects.
What does this business provide or sell today?
We service industrial design clients who are individuals, companies, corporations, and organizations, and that covers automotive, motorsports (including snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, etc), and recreational vehicle design. We provide illustrations, renderings, sketches, and murals. We also provide services with AutoCAD drafting and design. We use many mediums as well, such as pencils, pens, and markers for designing. We can even design logos and layouts based on various media needs. We can do architectural only when it comes to renderings and concept but not full architectural services. You can go to my web site at http://www.marcodamanliusdesigns.com and click on “PORTFOLIO” at the very top to see some of my past work.
Where do you see your business going in five or ten years?
Today, my company has expanded beyond just a design studio, designing vehicles, products, architectural places, etc., onward to building prototypes and concept vehicles as well as part of the restarting of the business. Eventually, we will manufacture them to sell on the market. Prototypes and concept vehicles will be shown at shows such as Deaf Nation Expos, North American International Automobile Show (NAIAS), the recreational vehicle manufacturers’ show in Louisville, KY, and elsewhere to gain greater exposure of our business. When we have enough business to expand, we will grow into manufacturing.
Visit Marco’s website at http://www.marcodamanliusdesigns.com/
More Interviews at http://www.hearingaidblog.com/
