Katherine Parsons

Katherine Parsons is an Assistant Professor of Digital Art at Seaver College, Pepperdine University, and an instructor at Art Center College of Design. She holds an M.F.A. in Media Arts from UCLA and is actively engaged in both academic and artistic practices centered on digital media, virtual reality, and new media art. She is the co-founder of FLOAT, a VR/AR art studio, and founder of FEMMEBIT, a platform celebrating women and gender-diverse artists in video and new media.

• M.F.A., UCLA Design Media Arts (2015)
• M.A., CSU-Northridge, Digital Art and Video (2013)
• B.F.A., Montana State University, Fine Arts/Graphic Design (2005)

Her research and artistic practice focus on human connection, grief, environmental systems, and the integration of technology in expressive forms. She explores these themes through immersive media, live cinema, and interactive installations. Her work bridges art, technology, and emotional experience, often involving community engagement and feminist perspectives.

Her recent creative output includes VR projects such as Screensavers VR, Irrational Exuberance, and 3VR: Liminal Realities, exhibited at venues like SFMOMA, SXSW, and Slamdance. These works reflect a strong trend in immersive storytelling, digital preservation, and the emotional potential of virtual environments. She frequently collaborates with musicians and directors, including Mark Pellington and Silversun Pickups.

• 160/90 Scholarship, UCLA
• Research Apprenticeship in Digital Humanities, UCLA and the Hammer
• CFPRT Scholar, UCLA Library Special Collections
• Deans Council, UCLA School of Arts and Architecture
• Shed Scholarship, CSU-Northridge
• ADDY Awards: One Gold, two Silver, four Bronze

Katherine Parsons has mentored students through university courses and workshops at SXSW and Pepperdine. She has curated exhibitions such as Pepperdine Artist Talks and FEMMEBIT, and has been involved in community-based initiatives like Primal U and Outer Echoes. While specific grant details are not listed, her residencies and project funding suggest ongoing support for her interdisciplinary work.

She is actively involved in artist collectives and labs, including VOIDLAB at UCLA, a feminist collective for women and gender-diverse individuals in arts and technology. Her studio practice includes collaborations with FLOAT, FEMMEBIT, and Machine Project, emphasizing experimental media, projection mapping, and community-driven art events.