Teen Artist-in-Residence Spotlight: Natalie Ware

Natalie joined Open Signal's teen artist residency program Echo AiR in the Fall of 2015 as a quiet, intense force of creativity and collaboration. An already accomplished photographer, she became a member of the group to seek out other like-minded teens with which to expand her artistic horizons. 

Over the course of the year, Natalie showcased her fantastic GIF-portraits at Disjecta, took over Echo AiR social media channels for a week, and generally produced art with a fury! But it wasn’t until a zine workshop that a switch flipped in her. 

“I definitely learned how to step out of my comfort zone, both artistically and socially," Ware said. "I realized I am interested in a lot more than just photography, so now I have started working on collages, zines, filmmaking, and graphic design. And socially, I ended up becoming good friends with people I never expected to meet, and I’m so glad I did . . . I feel a lot more connected!" 

She added, "After having worked with Kate Bingaman-Burt at the zine workshop, I am now working with her to make a magazine finally a reality after working on it by myself for a year. I plan to finish the first issue and hopefully connect with more young artists who want to be a part of the magazine!”

To follow Natalie and her work, check out her Instagram or have a look at her zine, Nascent.   

Echo AiR is offered in partnership with the Hollywood Theatre and made possible with support from the Templeton Foundation. For more information about Echo, contact Elisa Barrios, Media Education Manager.