Santiago Carrasquilla

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode of Design Matters, Debbie Millman sits down with multidisciplinary artist and director Santiago Carrasquilla, founder of Art Camp. The conversation traces Santiago’s journey from a childhood in Colombia shaped by migration and loss, through pivotal moments of artistic awakening—first with a childhood hero who blended art and life, then with a transformative encounter with Kenny Scharf at 17. Santiago recounts the painstaking creation of the 35,000-cigarette-paper mural for Stefan Sagmeister, the emotional weight of his early creative impulses, and how love—both romantic and artistic—has been a driving force in his life and career. He shares how he transitioned from music to design, broke into the industry with a handwritten GIF animation, and found his voice working at Sagmeister & Walsh. His own studio, Art Camp, is built on the philosophy that emotion points to form, where human connection and joy fuel groundbreaking work like the acclaimed music videos for Mitski and Tom York. Throughout, Santiago reveals a relentless passion for creation, a belief in the power of asking for what you want, and a vision for the next decade: bigger dreams, deeper collaborations, and the continued fusion of personal and commercial work.