Laura Nelson graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2002 with a BFA in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California and works at MGM Studios.

Please tell us what you are doing now professionally and/or artistically.

I am currently working for a production executive at MGM Studios. His job is to oversee a slate of productions for the studio and liaise between the production team and the studio. My job is assist him with these tasks as they come, maintain his day to day schedule, and condense and review project submissions that come through the office.

I have also continued to produce and exhibit my artwork in my spare time.

What is the most important thing you have learned about maintaining your
practice after leaving school?

The most important thing is to stay disciplined, focused, and on task about your time and art practice. The workday takes enough time out of the day, and with the need to make time to commute, eat, work out, whatever your daily routine may be… there is little free time left over. It’s an adjustment from college, and time is more valuable. You have to stay disciplined about what you do with your time and set whole weekend days or a few hours at night when you’re not working (schedule depending, of course), to stay “on track” of your artwork to keep it a part of your daily routine.

How have you found opportunities to show or distribute your work?

I’m lucky that LA has a very accessible and eclectic art scene. There are a lot of underground groups that put on monthly shows and a wide variety of galleries—from the high end to the low end, and everywhere in between—that define the scene in LA. A lot of New York galleries have satellites here, as well. While the appetite for some of my work in particular might not be as great here as it is in NY or Chicago, for example, I have been able to break into many different types of venues and get my work shown.

What has been the biggest surprise about your "day job"?

I guess one of the biggest surprises about my day job is the toll it takes on my mind and body. I didn’t come here specifically to become involved in film, it just happened. It’s a 12-hour a day commitment, during the work week, and can often leave me exhausted at the end of the day, especially when I also have work-related commitments after hours. The biggest adjustment I had to make was to re-work the art practice back into my life and stay mentally alert and on task for my artwork in the evening.

On the flipside, another surprise was that I’m able to translate some of the skills I honed in art school—specifically those gained from critiques—every day on the job. It has made me be more blunt, thoughtful, and decisive about script and project recommendations and decisions.

What should students know about living in Los Angeles?

LA is an interesting place. Plusses: weather, diversity, accessibility, variety, world class museums and schools. Minuses: sprawl, high cost of living, need a car to get anywhere, the people, and Hollywood. If you’re from somewhere else, it takes a couple adjustments to get used to things, but nothing major. LA is not for everyone, but a lot of people find their niche and do just fine.

What other advice do you have for current Art students?

Assess your strengths and make them work for you. There are a lot of areas of work where your skills can be useful in the marketplace, the tough part is making yourself an asset and finding your niche. Your professors may have emphasized the importance of presentation in your artwork and documentation. Don’t forget that this carries over to the other aspects of your being. Accentuate your strengths and market yourself properly.

The good news is that you’re graduating from a competitive institution with a good reputation, and the art program is certainly no exception. If, after a few years, you’re looking for something similar, pursue your MFA. You may also find you can apply your skills and experiences to many other advanced degrees, so do not be afraid to pursue both your art and other academic interests or careers in the future.