Where were you born?
Mérida, Venezuela.
Alumni Stories – Anita Rangel
Where do you live?
The Netherlands.
What did you study at Elisava?
I did the Master’s in Design and Art Direction.
Where do you work?
I’m an Art Director and Creative at DEPT®, an international agency with its main office in Amsterdam.
What’s been your professional journey?
I started working as a graphic designer at some design studios in Barcelona, including Eumo_dc, alongside Jordi Cano, the director of my Master’s program at the time. I enjoyed collaborating on music video shoots and fell in love with art direction for audiovisual projects.
From there, I transitioned to advertising as an Art Director at several agencies, including Ogilvy Madrid. I worked on projects for clients such as Iberia, ING, and Iberdrola.
I moved to Amsterdam in 2021 to work at DEPT®. I’ve found a highly international advertising environment with many exciting new opportunities here.
What does design mean to you?
Design is a powerful tool that impacts every aspect of our lives: how we perceive and interact with the world. It helps us solve problems, tell stories, evoke emotions, and create connections.
Who inspires you professionally?
I’m deeply inspired by a city: Barcelona. Its streets, museums, the friends I have there, and the work they do. Every time I visit, I feel my creative energy recharge.
How would you describe your time at Elisava?
Coming to Elisava was the first major decision I made professionally. It opened many doors for me, and I met incredible professors—like Jordi Cano, Enric Jaulent, and Ber Arce—who guided me and taught me to understand creativity as a craft. It was an inspiring time; I lived design intensely and beautifully.
What’s left the biggest mark on you from your time at Elisava?
At Elisava, I learned that creativity is not a straight line. It requires work, research, and transformation. The creative process is thrilling, even if it’s not easy, so you have to learn to enjoy the curves.
I learned to think with my hands and feet, and to passionately and carefully connect ideas and people.
A piece of advice:
Embrace opportunities and open yourself to new experiences, even when they seem intimidating. Challenges help us discover our true potential. At the same time, it’s important to learn to say “no,” take care of yourself, and value your work as a creative.
A future challenge:
To keep learning and growing in international environments, working on projects that make me happy and help the world somehow.