Multimedia Artist

Laura Benitez is a multimedia artist born in Miami, FL, and she currently resides in Davie, FL. Her thesis titled the Seven Ages of Susanna is an augmented reality experience, combining stop-motion animation and traditional book arts using tunnel books. The objective is to create a marriage between the narrative and new media, where augmented reality enacts as the frame of view for the unique narrative experience. In this series are seven tunnel books based on seven moments in the life of William Shakespeare's eldest daughter Susanna. She graduated with her MFA in Media, Technology, & Entertainment Studies in 2019. She continues working on her 3D animation, stop-motion animation, and new media projects. 

Moreover, Laura Benitez has been a visiting instructor at Florida Atlantic University for the past three years. She has taught a myriad of production courses, including Fundamentals of Multimedia, Fundamentals of 3D Animation, Video Production, Digital Video Editing, Digital Audio Recording & Editing, History of Theory of Computer Arts & Animation, Special Topics in Stop-Motion Animation, and  Creating Interactive Cultures. In the summer semesters of 2017 and 2018, she has worked with high school students from Broward County in partnering with FAU, and the Museum of Discovery and Science in creating 3d computer animation for their Android augmented reality applications. 

Before entering the Media, Technology, & Entertainment program, Laura Benitez received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art at the University of Central Florida in 2013. She then taught elementary art at Franklin Academy Pembroke Pines for three years. During that time, she was actively involved in the Broward Art Educators Association and the Florida Art Educators Association and promoted awareness of Broward County's arts. After these three years, she decided to pursue her Master of Fine Arts at Florida Atlantic University. Currently. As an educator, Benitez strives for the best from her students, pushing them in their craft and developing their voice in their medium. By doing so, she elevates her students in harnessing their potential, making them job-ready for the industry of digital media.