Graduated: 2006
Major: DIGA Art and Studio Art
Minor: Art History
Websites: lauraoxendine.com
Q: What did you do after graduation and what are you doing now?
A: Immediately following graduation, I moved to New York City where I received my MFA (2008) in Photography, Video and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts. Upon graduation from SVA, I began working as a video editor for Macy’s Satellite Network, a division of Macy’s Inc. that broadcasts internally to all Macy’s locations nationwide. After a brief period of working on my personal work and freelancing, I am now back working at MSN while also freelancing for New York based clients.
Q: Did you ever see yourself doing what you are doing now when you took DIGA 101?
A: No. Definitely not, but I don’t think that at that time I had a clear idea of what I wanted to be – and that was okay. I experimented with a lot of different software, media, disciplines, and tried as many different ways of making work to see what fit best. This experimentation in the first couple of years really helped me narrow my focus as I developed a video thesis, moved on to a video concentration in graduate school and ultimately to a career as a professional editor.
Q: What advice do you have for someone taking DIGA 101 right now?
A: Take a deep breath – then get to work! You have such a unique opportunity to look, learn, try, fail, and try again surrounded by peers and professors who are focused on making your work better. Remember that DIGA is a part of Stetson’s liberal arts environment, and taking a class in another discipline might enrich your perspective or expand your collaborative network. Take advantage of it.
Q: What’s the best thing you learned studying Digital Arts @ Stetson?
A: DIGA gave me a solid technical foundation that I continue to fine tune. I was one of the youngest in my graduate program, but I was also one of the most technically savvy. I attribute this knowledge to my experience in DIGA. I was attracted to the DIGA program because of its fine art approach, and I developed my work from this perspective. However, the same skill set and the same tools create my personal experimental work and the very commercial edits I put together for Macy’s. The more you understand your tools, the more versatile you will become.
