Welcome to Arbel Berman

UP is pleased to welcome new member Arbel Berman, an Art Director based in Israel. We caught up with Arbel to get the deets...

How did you learn about UP and what made you decide to join the team?

I heard about UP through a friend and I became fascinated. Luckily, I had an instant chemistry with the UP team. I am thrilled and excited to be able to join such a warm and talented family.

Where are you located? Have you always been here, or is this a new place for you?

I was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. Today I live in Binyamina, a small town close to the sea, 20 minutes from Tel Aviv. I speak Hebrew and English. The Israeli weather mostly ranges between hot and very hot and I am a winter person...

Tell us a little bit about the types of things you have worked on before UP? What do you most look forward to each day?

After graduating from art school, I started working as an Art Director at the Y&R office in Israel followed by a number of graphic design and branding studios in Tel Aviv. Later, I returned to the world of advertising as a designer and image artist, where I specialized in print production. In 2017, following the birth of my eldest daughter, I decided to go on an independent path and ever since I have been a free bird. I design, brand, illustrate, create concepts, and mostly enjoy whatever I do. Toward the afternoon I switch to my second job, which is being a mother of two little ones. After they are (finally) asleep I can return to my computer or sketch note with new insight. These are usually my best hours.

What is your area of focus at UP, and what are you most looking forward to doing at UP? What is your favorite part of what you do?

Design is my world - I love it all from researching and developing concepts to kerning letters. I love new challenges and even more solving them. I'm looking forward to working with great minds around the globe, ping-ponging and brainstorming, gaining brilliant insights, and being able to transform the multiculturalism into creative magic and thus continuing the vision and model of UP for creative endeavor. The thing that really bothered me in my previous experience in advertising was the typical time wasting, surrounding by micro-managers and egos battles.  This is why the UP model fascinates me. It feels as if it was "created" for me.

If you could have lunch with anyone (living or deceased), who would it be and why?

I could try and sound cool by name dropping Andy Warhol or Audrey Hepburn. I can try and impress you with Frida Kahlo or Pablo Picasso - All were amazing and were touched by god, no doubt. But in all honesty, the thing that would make me the happiest would be to sit for lunch with my dad. I would like to tell him that I named my daughter after his mother. I would like to tell him about my family that he never got to know, to have a real conversation like two adults, to let him know the person I turned out to be: Opinionated and compassionate just like he raised me to be. Maybe even without any words, just to be able to give him one long hug. My father passed away when I was 20 years old and I will miss him forever and a day.

What else would you like UP members to know about you?

I’d like the other members to know I am super excited to begin this wonderful adventure, that I look forward to sharing my passion, enthusiasm and creativity.