Meet Anggie Arivia | Motion Designer & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anggie Arivia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anggie, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Throughout my life, I’ve learned the importance of taking risks and overcoming fear. It all began when my family immigrated to the United States. Failing became my greatest fear because I believe that being an immigrant gives others a chance to either look up or down on me. However, this experience only fueled my determination to prove my capabilities.

Financial challenges have also been a significant hurdle for my family. While financial aid enabled me to complete my education at community college, at ArtCenter, tuition plus additional school-related expenses added up quickly and became almost unbearable. With the high cost of failure in mind, I became a person who has a clear objective and strives for perfection.

However, the issue with being an ambitious perfectionist is the high level of stress and anxiety. It became really difficult for me to start a project. Initiating projects was particularly daunting, as I feared the unknowns and potential setbacks. At times, I could spend a few hours sitting in front of my Wacom tablet unable to move a finger because I was really afraid of the process and the outcome. Later, I came to realize that these challenges were essential for personal growth. They pushed me out of my comfort zone, forcing me to learn new design tools and techniques. If I had chosen to stay in my comfort zone and be satisfied with my skills, I would have missed out on more opportunities.

Ultimately, embracing these challenges expanded my skill set and opened doors to new opportunities. By continually pushing myself to learn and innovate, I’ve discovered innovative solutions to design problems and enriching my creative process

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Throughout my projects, I’ve discovered my passion for storytelling using motion graphics, shape language, and color. When it comes to storytelling, my aim is to convey the significance of individuals and their experiences, including their life story and cultural backgrounds. I dedicate considerable time to research in my projects, ensuring that I avoid the commonplace and instead offer the audience a fresh perspective.

The journey hasn’t been easy, but each project has taught me the importance of seeing the bigger picture, delving deep into research, constantly questioning why, and moving beyond clichés. In my future projects, I aspire to tell diverse stories, exploring different individuals’ perspectives on various issues and presenting the world with alternative outlooks. By continually learning and sharing these narratives, I’ve realized the importance of designing with authenticity and empathy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have spent the majority of my productive time in Pasadena since attending community college. To me, Pasadena and the surrounding cities are my comfort zone.

Whenever I catch up with friends, I love to take them to my favorite restaurants. Good food, to me, can ignite positive energy and enjoyable conversations. Some of my favorite comfort restaurants include Cafe de Olla in Monrovia, Myung Ga Haejangguk in Arcadia, and All India Cafe in Old Town Pasadena.

As a visual learner, I gain insights through observing my surroundings. Fortunately, Pasadena offers places that exhibit beauty while providing calmness and quietness. The Huntington Library, Descanso Garden, and the Norton Simon Museum are the best places to escape the chaos of daily life, find inspiration, and take visitors to.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my family. While they may not always understand the work that I do, they consistently make sacrifices for me and support me in any way they can. During every sleepless night, they ensure that I stay hydrated and eat well so that I can maintain enough energy to work on my projects.

Second, I would like to dedicate it to my friend and fellow designer who keep me grounded at ArtCenter: Jacqueline Huang. While working on projects, we occasionally experience burnout and struggles, yet we always manage to progress, thanks to the humor and memes, words of encouragement, and constructive feedback that we offer for each other.

Last but not least, I dedicate this to my instructors at ArtCenter who inspire me to excel and realize my full potential.

Instagram: @nggnoodles

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anggiearivia/

Image Credits
Anggie Arivia
Copyright ArtCenter College of Design / Juan Posada