NEWS, AWARDS, RECOGNITION (1999-2025)
ABOUT THIS SECTION
One day it occurred to me I was going to die.
And since the internet has a lifespan of about five minutes, I realized that if my kid ever Googled me, he might not actually know what I was up to all those times I wasn’t smooshing my face into his.
This is my attempt to archive the activity—not to brag, but to leave a trail. To show him (and maybe myself) that all the long hours, deadlines, and weird artistic obsessions might’ve been worth it. Or at least… explainable.
Here lies the news, awards, press, and public-facing side of a very private creative life.
2025: Ongoing Innovation and Recognition
Twenty years ago, in 2005, I had a brief but unforgettable connection with the then-nascent studio LAIKA as they began recruiting for their first film, “Coraline”. I had long admired Will Vinton, Henry Selick, Neil Gaimon, and Dave McKean, and the convergence of worlds under new leadership—renowned director Travis Knight—was electric. Though the timing didn’t align back then, I pivoted toward short-form motion design, which allowed me to explore a wide range of visual styles and formats.
Almost exactly two decades later, in late 2024, it all came full circle. I was invited to collaborate with my longtime friend and creative hero Pete Candeland on projects in development at LAIKA—some of which are now entering production (Go Pete, go!). Being back in that orbit reminded me of the rare power of creative culture—and of what it means to build something with care, play, and purpose. With several Oscar nominations to his name, Knight has lived fully into his early promise to transform the studio into a global storytelling powerhouse with integrity, artistry, and zoom.
Meanwhile, after over a decade as a proud Art Directors Club member (and Young Guns 11 winner), I was deeply honored to be invited by the legendary Brian Collins to join the ADC Committee, contributing to one of the industry’s most historic creative institutions.
In May 2025, I had the privilege of speaking at The One Club for Creativity’s AI Executive Creative Summit, where I presented my talk: “ART IS DEAD. LONG LIVE THE ARTIST: Creative Leadership in the Age of Intelligent Tools.” To a room of global creative executives, I shared thoughts on the collapse of traditional hierarchies, the urgency of emotional storytelling, and what it means to lead in a world reshaped by generative tools.
I’m also pivoting toward long-form, narrative-first content to support my deep background in visuals—and actively looking for creative cultures where that voice can contribute, evolve, and matter.
In the age of intelligent tools, I’ve continued to push creative boundaries through my exploratory channel House of Indovina—a platform for visual and philosophical experiments at the intersection of AI, storytelling, and the beautiful flaws of being human. With two decades of work behind me, I’m still chasing what’s next—and trying to leave something meaningful behind while I do.
2025: ADVISORY COMMITTEE, Art Directors Club, NYC
I was invited to join the ADC Advisory Committee—an unexpected honor that puts me in conversation with one of the industry’s oldest institutions (103 years and counting). The ADC Awards have always stood for artistry and craft in design, storytelling, and emerging creative tech. My role? To help shape where that goes next.
2025: SPEAKER, The One Club for Creativity – Executive AI Creative Summit
I was invited to speak at The One Club for Creativity’s AI Executive Creative Summit, where I gave a talk titled “ART IS DEAD. LONG LIVE THE ARTIST: Creative Leadership in the Age of Intelligent Tools.” To a room full of global creative leaders, I explored what it means to stay human, visionary, and necessary in a world reshaped by generative AI, automation, and the slow collapse of old creative hierarchies.
2025: JUROR - Artificial Intelligence / The One Club for Creativity, NYC
This year I joined the AI jury for The One Show, sitting alongside an absolutely stacked group of creative leaders from across the industry. It was equal parts intimidating and energizing—proof that the conversation around AI and creative work is only just beginning, and that we all have a role to play in shaping where it goes next.
2024: JURY PRESIDENT, Artificial Intelligence / The Art Directors Club, NYC
Recognized for my work at the intersection of AI and creativity, I was named Jury President for the Artificial Intelligence category at the ADC 103rd Annual Awards. Between this and my continued talks on the future of creative leadership (like The One Club’s AI Summit), I’m doing my best to help shape how the industry meets the machine. Source
2024: SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT (SME), Generative AI Certification Program / AMAZON WEB SERVICES (AWS)
I was invited to serve as a Subject Matter Expert for Amazon Web Services’ first-ever Generative AI Certification Program, contributing alongside researchers, technologists, and futurists. My role: help shape the creative curriculum that will train the next wave of AI-literate professionals. It’s a space I care deeply about—not just as a practitioner, but as someone trying to make sure these tools stay human, weird, and worth using.
I was also 7 months pregnant here, but yet somehow managed to walk myself up to the top of the spheres, thanks to my very supportive partner, Lan Laucirica, who was also a member of this eclectic group of world class minds. A special shoutout to Daniel Jacobson and team for having the imagination enough to invite me.
2024: The birth of Render
On April 27, 2024, my son Render was born—the most intricate and meaningful design I’ve ever helped create. I’ve spent a career shaping worlds through images and stories, but nothing has reshaped me like motherhood. His arrival reframed my purpose, rewired my creativity, and deepened my understanding of what it means to make something that truly lasts. This archive is, in part, for him—to remember who I was before, and to show him how everything changed.
2023: DIRECTOR, WINNER (GOLD) Coinbase “The Degen Trilogy” Best Character Designg and Animation, AICP Award & Industry Honors
I directed Run the Chain for Coinbase—a weird, kinetic short that went on to win the AICP Award for Best Character Design/Animation, earning a spot in MoMA’s permanent collection. The project also picked up a Bronze Art Directors Club Cube and landed on the D&AD Shortlist, placing the work alongside some of the year’s best. One of those rare moments where the chaos paid off.
2023: SPEAKER, The one club for creativity “Creative Perspectives” series
I presented a video talk for The One Club for Creativity titled “Creativity and the Singularity,” exploring the thrilling, terrifying, and strangely beautiful future of art in an AI-driven world. A love letter—and a warning—for what comes next. Watch
2023: Co-Creation of Amuse Bouche with Partizan
I co-created Amuse Bouche, a forward-looking initiative with Partizan built to explore new technologies and storytelling practices in the age of intelligent tools. We brought together artists and technologists to prototype wild ideas at the intersection of creativity, AI, and narrative experimentation—part R&D lab, part creative playground.
2022: Coinbase “Degen Trilogy” Press
Commissioned by Coinbase and produced by world-renowned studio Partizan, The Degen Trilogy launched as an ambitious cinematic series introducing five original characters across a three-minute epic rooted in NFT and crypto lore.
While the project faced widespread criticism for its conceptual sprawl, industry analyst The Defiant delivered a sharp, widely shared breakdown—calling out my direction as a rare highlight amid the chaos. The commentary struck a nerve for its brutally honest take on what happens when a creative brief collides with crypto culture.
Despite the mixed reception, The Degen Trilogy was also spotlighted by industry staple Stash for its scale, VFX execution, and creative leadership—proof that even in the messiest moments, vision still counts.
2022: Tendril Talk – “The Great Rapid Prototyping Movement”
I was invited by the visionary team at Tendril to speak in their acclaimed internal series, where I delivered my talk “The Great Rapid Prototyping Movement.” I explored how emerging tools are reshaping the way artists iterate—faster, looser, and with more deliberate experimentation—pushing the boundaries of innovation through speed, play, and process.
2021: The Ellis School Alumna Feature
My high school profiled me in a piece that traced the path from childhood creativity to projects like Black Is King. It was a surreal full-circle moment—proof that the kid drawing monsters in study hall was maybe onto something. Read more here.
2020: Creation of Monstertown
I teamed up with writer Nicholas Black and actor/writer Brando Eaton to develop Monstertown—an original IP blending horror, noir, and social commentary. Actor Michael Cudlitz entered talks for the lead. Conceived as an interactive comic-book website, the project used cinematic visuals to guide viewers through the story—an experimental, world-building approach to pitching original content in a saturated market.
2020 - GOLD AIPC WINNER, Johnnie Walker – Black Magick
Directed by Lauren Indovina | Agency: Giant Spoon | Studio: The-Artery
I directed this surreal, cinematic campaign for Johnnie Walker—blending live-action, VFX, and poetic visual language into a hypnotic meditation on ritual and rebirth. Black Magick was honored by the AICP for Best Original Music and Sound Design, and inducted into the permanent collection at MoMA. It became one of those rare commercial pieces that crossed into fine art territory—earning recognition for its bold sensory design and atmospheric depth.
2020: Concept Designer – Beyonce’s Black Is King
Credited for concept design on Beyoncé’s visual film Black Is King, released on Disney+. A project that redefined the scale and ambition of music-driven storytelling.
2020: Director, Amazon + Bento Box’s “UtopiA” Animated Interstitials | Art by João Ruas
Sometimes the pipeline works. Sometimes it doesn’t. This was one of those times I learned the hard way.
I signed on as animation director for Utopia, Amazon’s U.S. adaptation of the cult UK series, working with the hauntingly beautiful art of João Ruas. We set out to build a hybrid pipeline that fused painterly 2D with PSYOP-level 3D rigging—a bold vision with a dream team behind it.
Despite our best efforts, the pipeline couldn’t hold. The project ran into the kind of constraints no one plans for, and the show was ultimately canceled after one season. Still, I’m proud of what we attempted—and what I learned: work boldly, build bravely, and know when to let go.
2020: Design Director, Skyworth Campaign – Various featuresShots Magazine
As Design Director, I created a series of dreamy, high-gloss visuals for Chinese tech brand Skyworth—a campaign that blended futuristic product design with emotional storytelling. The work was featured in Shots Magazine, Adhugger, and other international press.
2019 – Founding of House of Indovina
Experimental Platform | Creative Field Guide
I founded House of Indovina in 2019—not as a studio, but as an evolving platform for visual experiments, narrative prototypes, and personal inquiry at the intersection of emerging tech and emotional storytelling. More field guide than company, it’s part lab, part sketchbook—a space for unfinished signals and myth-making in the age of intelligent tools.
What began as a private exploration became public in 2025, when I started releasing essays, short films, and visual research under the House of Indovina name across YouTube, Instagram, and curated exhibitions. It remains a speculative engine for the emotionally resonant, the weird, and the not-yet-possible.
2017 – Juror, Young Guns 2017
I began serving as a juror for top design and commercial awards, including The Young Guns, AICP, and the ADC Annual Awards—a chance to champion bold work and support the next wave of creative risk-takers.
2018 – AICP Mystery honor
In 2018, I received a mysterious but delightful “1 Honor” in the AICP Awards. The exact category may be lost to time (or buried somewhere on the internet), but the recognition placed my name alongside creative heroes like Todd Mueller, Kylie Matulick, and Olivia Wilde—which felt surreal enough to archive here.
Sometimes you don’t need to know why you’re on the list. Just that you were.
2017: FEATURED ARTIST, Autodesk – “Character Animation + Motion Graphics: A Winning Combination”
Interview & Portfolio Spotlight
I was featured by Autodesk in an in-depth interview and portfolio spotlight on character design and storytelling in motion. The piece explored my process—developed at PSYOP—for building emotionally resonant characters through unconventional 2D/3D pipelines that blend concept art, animation, and narrative. From commercial campaigns to experimental work, the feature highlighted my approach to fusing design and storytelling in ways that feel both cinematic and human.
2017: FeatureD ARTIST, The art directors club – “The Imposter In You”
Creative Essay & Artist Feature
Published as part of my ADC Young Guns 11 recognition, The Imposter in You explores the messy intersection of self-doubt and ambition. I reframed imposter syndrome not as a weakness, but as a signal you might actually be doing something that matters. The essay struck a chord for its honesty in a field that often pretends it has everything figured out.
2014: The Art Director’s Club – “School of Craft: A Shot of Life to a Hungry Vein”
In this editorial piece for The Art Directors Club, I reflected on the craft of merging personal vision with client needs—drawing from my experience as an ADC Young Guns winner. The title, A Shot of Life to a Hungry Vein, was pulled from one of my most cherished commercial projects and sums up how I see design: not just functional, but vital. The piece explored how to bring poetic depth into commercial storytelling—treating every frame like it matters.
2015 – FEATURED ARTIST, Monki Magazine: “Soulful Animation”
Print Feature & Artist Profile
I was profiled in Monki Magazine for my approach to character design and animation, with a spotlight on work for artists like Justin Timberlake and The Raveonettes. The feature, titled Soulful Animation, explored how I direct from a narrative-first perspective—blending emotion, imagination, and digital tools as a kind of modern authorship.
It framed me as a new kind of artist-director: part filmmaker, part inventor—armed with story, soul, and a Wacom tablet.
2016 – Featured artist, Computer Arts “Like Living in My Own Canvas”
Studio Feature & Artist Interview
I was featured in Computer Arts magazine for my home studio—described as “a continuation of her family home,” merging my architect father’s Victorian sensibilities with my own love of contrast, surrealism, and cinematic design. The piece offered a personal look at my creative environment, from puppets and plants to Betta fish and blackout curtains.
It reflected my belief that design isn’t just work—it’s a living extension of identity, memory, and mythmaking.
2016: ADC Blog Essay – “A View from the Jury”
In this piece, I opened up about what it felt like to judge motion design for the ADC 95th Annual Awards. It was intense, emotional, and surprisingly personal. The article captured the weight of recognizing other people’s best work—and the empathy it takes to do that responsibly.
2016: FEATURED ARTIST, THE ART DIRECTORS CLUB – “Wild Be in a Honey Hive” WRITTEN BY BRETT MCKENZIE
In this vivid profile, the brilliant Brett McKenzie described me as “wild in the hive”—an instinctive, soul-first artist navigating an industry wired for order and polish. The piece captured the raw emotional undercurrent behind my work and the tension between intuition and perfection in creative life.
2016: PSYOP Feature & ADC Jury Announcement
In 2016, my beloved PSYOP, the studio i’d hitched my wagon to all the way back in early 2009, profiled me as their newest ADC jury member—marking a milestone in my journey from Director to trusted creative voice. The feature highlighted my body of work since joining the studio in 2009, from campaigns awarded by AICP, The Clios, and The Emmys, to permanent placement in MoMA’s motion collection. At the time, I was also serving as a juror for the ADC 95th Annual Awards, reflecting on a career that had evolved from emotional character animation to influential industry recognition.
2015: D&AD Pencil – Airbnb “Wall and Chain”
I was part of the team that won a D&AD Pencil and Webby Award for Wall and Chain, a beautifully human animated short for Airbnb. Though I had to leave the project early, I’d designed the title characters—and in a gesture that still means the world to me, Marie Hyon and Marco Spier gave me art director credit. That kind of generosity is rare. It speaks to the kind of studio PSYOP was at its best: generous, visionary, and deeply collaborative. This piece remains one of my most cherished.
2015: Sherwin-Williams “Emerald” Press explosion
Co-directed with the late, brilliant director and mentor, Eben Mears, Emerald was a career high. Featured in Communication Arts and Stash, the spot combined fine art influence with high-speed technical precision. Eben taught me everything I know about shooting at extreme frame rates, and I’ll always be grateful for that. Great agency, great idea, great team—this one shimmered.
2015: Shots Magazine, Adweek, Communication Arts Press Blast – British Gas “Warm & Working”
Directed a charming little spot starring a penguin repairman. It ran nationally in the UK and was featured in Shots Magazine for its cozy tone and character-driven storytelling.
2014: Emmys Magazine & Monki Magazine Features –
Emmys Magazine profiled my early animation work, highlighting a process powered by “just imagination and a computer.” The piece focused on music videos and short films built on instinct, emotion, and visual storytelling with minimal resources and maximum intent.
2013: Director, Super Bowl XLVII – Beck’s Sapphire “Serenade” –
Co-directed this surreal CGI spot featuring a singing black goldfish, aired during Super Bowl XLVII. Strange, sleek, and very, very shiny.
2013: ADC Young Guns 11 –
Honored among the top 30 under 30 creatives worldwide.
2013: Motionographer – “10,000 Arrows to the Heart” –
Indovina is featured after several dynamic years working professionally in motion design. She pens an honest essay and interview chronicling her rise to Creative Director at Psyop. Read
2012: SFNY Conference – The Art of Failure –
Indovina co-presents a signature talk with filmmaker Lucia Grillo at the Style Frames NY conference, titled The Art of Failure. Opening with the line “Failure makes you ugly” (Marco Spier), the two guide a global audience through the deeper beauty of creative missteps. The talk features Psyop’s hauntingly poetic short Failure and unpacks how vulnerability, imperfection, and risk are essential to bold visual storytelling. The session becomes a standout hit of the conference, resonating deeply with artists facing the chaos of the unknown.
2012: Gold AICP Award – Fage “Plain” (Co-Directed with Eben Mears) –
Indovina co-directs the poetic, minimalist ad Plain for Fage Yogurt, alongside the late, brilliant Eben Mears at Psyop. The film wins Gold at the AICP Awards, earning a place in the MoMA permanent collection. The campaign is celebrated for its striking restraint and meditative pacing—an homage to the power of simplicity in an industry often dominated by excess.
2012: Gold Clio & AICP MoMA Honor – FedEx “Enchanted Forest” –
Is a part of the team winning top honors and is archived in MoMA for her concept design work and art direction
2011: Motionographer & Adweek – Fage “Plain” Campaign –
Profiles cover her directorial work on a poetic ad featuring narration by Willem Dafoe.
2010: Motion Conference Keynote – Designing with Meaning –
Indovina delivers a keynote titled Designing with Meaning: The Psyop Approach to Illustrating the Story at the Motion Conference. In the talk, she unpacks Psyop’s collaborative creative process—from dreaming to doing, and the controlled chaos that fuels their illustrative, emotionally resonant storytelling. The session offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at the visual development philosophy that helped define an era of motion design.
2009: Director & Designer – Psyop –
Indovina joins renowned creative studio Psyop as a Director and Designer, marking the start of a prolific decade helming high-profile, visually ambitious campaigns. At Psyop, she directs award-winning work across animation, design, and live action—crafting surreal worlds for brands like FedEx, Beck’s Sapphire, British Gas, and Airbnb. Her signature aesthetic—blending painterly detail with narrative depth—earns her recognition at the Clios, D&AD, and AICP and cements her reputation as one of the studio’s most visionary voices.
2008: One Club Award – Justin Timberlake’s “LoveStoned” –
Wins a One Show award as a team of designers on the visually iconic “blue section.”
2007–2012: Author & Curator – Motionographer –
Indovina was part of the original global editorial team at Motionographer.com, the influential industry site founded by Justin Cone. As a contributing writer and curator, she regularly spotlighted groundbreaking work in animation, motion design, and storytelling—helping shape the dialogue around visual culture during a formative era for the medium.
2007: Relocated to NYC to Creative lead Blind’s NYC Studio –
Indovina is relocated to New York to lead Blind’s East Coast expansion.
2009: Emmy Award – Blind –
Indovina’s original character designs and hand-painted visual language were featured in a music video that earned Blind an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction. Her distinctive aesthetic defined the look and feel of the characters, marking an early milestone in her career as a visual auteur.
2006: Festival Sweep – Fish Heads Fugue (RISD) –
Wins Best Stop Motion at Animex UK, Best Undergraduate Animation at Ottawa, and screens worldwide.
2005: David Rosenberg Memorial Scholarship –
Receives RISD’s top film honor for compassion, creativity, and vision as a junior in the Film/Animation/Video department in honor of David Rosenberg 94 FAV,
2005: Fish Heads Fugue – Festival Launch –
Wins Best Animation at the Hollywood DV Festival and becomes a finalist in Stash’s Global Student Awards.
1999–2001: Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Merit Scholar –
Awarded merit scholarships for three consecutive summers, Indovina attended Carnegie Mellon University’s Pre-College Art Program, where she studied advanced drawing, figure study, and experimental design, laying the foundation for her future as a visual storyteller.
1999: Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts –
At age 16, recognized for early creative excellence in sculpture and puppetry.
1994–2001: Scholastic Gold Medalist & Top Portfolio Honors –
From childhood through high school, Indovina earned dozens of regional and national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, consistently recognized for her expressive visual storytelling in sculpture, drawing, and printmaking.
In her senior year, she was awarded the highest portfolio honor in Western Pennsylvania, distinguishing her as one of the region’s most promising young artists.