Natalia Seth: A Digital Artist Using Social Media To Express Herself and Create Change

Natalia Seth started her career with just her mom’s iPhone and an Instagram account, and now she has become one of the most influential digital artists of her generation. From brand deals to viral TikToks, Natalia’s sense of imagination has touched every inch of the creator world. Her dreamscapes, each overflowing with color and personality, have captivated hundreds of thousands of people across her social media platforms. Even with all of her success on social media, Natalia still maintains a college schedule and hopes to use her broadened knowledge to conquer different mediums of art.

“I am reminded of who I truly am through my work.”

When I ask about the most significant message she has expressed in her art thus far, Natalia immediately answers with “individuality.” She continues, “A lot of my art is just my own voice, and it was a way for me to express myself in ways I couldn’t with words.”

Touchy feely ✋🏼 by Natalia Seth

Growing up an only child in private school, Natalia was a self-proclaimed weirdo. “I was really weird, and I’m still a very weird person,” she says, smiling. She found an outlet for her weirdness through editing and Instagram, which allows her to be creative and unique while continuously pushing her artistic boundaries. 

After stumbling upon an Instagram account posting surrealistic edits, Natalia was inspired to create an account of her own. “Within the first few months, every night I would just think about how I would edit the photos during the day,” Natalia says of the beginnings of her Instagram account. “I think defining myself as an artist was formed then because I was so passionate about creating.” Over the next few years, Natalia’s life transformed. She began integrating products into her artwork, starting with small companies led by fellow young entrepreneurs. At only fourteen, she was being paid to do the very thing she was most passionate about. 

One of Natalia’s earliest challenges was convincing her parents that her love for photography was not just a phase. “My mom and my dad both thought it was a phase at the beginning because when you’re thirteen you go through a million phases,” Natalia recalls. After remaining dedicated to the craft for over a year, her parents fervently supported her newfound passion. As a surrealist artist herself, Natalia’s mother has always encouraged Natalia’s creativity and imagination, and continues to serve as one of Natalia’s greatest inspirations. As supportive as they were of her passions, Natalia knew her parents wanted her to prioritize school over everything else. “It was always myself motivating me,” Natalia reiterates, “so what drove me the most was the fire in me that said I need to do this.”

Harmony of Color 🌈🦄 by Natalia Seth

Now a viral artist across multiple platforms, Natalia finds her DMs flooded with messages from young aspiring artists and photographers who have found inspiration in her work. “It’s definitely a good feeling to inspire others,” Natalia says now that she has become a role model for other young creatives, like the Instagram account that first inspired her to start her artistic endeavors. With TikTok, a newer, fast-growing platform for Natalia, she can bring her audience along behind the scenes as she documents her creative process for every new piece.

It’s evident that beyond her mother’s artistic endeavors, Natalia is influenced by what she consumes, the colors of her life, and most significantly, her own imagination. While searching for new ideas, Natalia often scrolls through Pinterest or forces herself to “go through a rabbithole of thoughts to see if anything interesting comes out of there.” Upon striking inspiration, she goes to her sketchbook to plan ideas. Once she has a clear idea in her mind, she ventures out “with her tripod, remote, and camera to location scout.” When creating self-portraiture, which she explains she tends to lean towards both for its convenience in terms of subject as well as its emphasis on individual expression, the picture taking process “takes about an hour, probably longer because I’m a perfectionist.” 

The Birth of Venus ☁️ by Natalia Seth

When asked which photo encapsulates her style the most, Natalia recalls, “The one I did for my 100k celebration.” She felt not only the surreal joy of hitting such a milestone on Instagram but a newfound understanding of her artistry. “There was a lot of paint dripping down my face—my mom had painted my face actually—it was just very colorful and I was super proud of that photo. It radiates a lot of color.” This style took her years of trial and error to develop, and has come a long way since her early days of “Tumblr edits” that once dominated her Instagram feed. 

“I don’t think I would’ve found my passion that early if it weren’t for social media. I think, since the beginning, social media has helped me create my own style, find my own community, and be confident in my work.” 

Throughout her career, social media has greatly influenced the direction of Natalia’s art. As Natalia grew in influence and audience and got more comfortable shooting others, she also began collaborating with other creators. “I try to mix our minds,” Natalia explains, enthusiastically describing how she is able to bring out a creator’s personality and style while further developing her own. “I don’t think I would’ve found my passion that early if it weren’t for social media. I think, since the beginning, social media has helped me create my own style, find my own community, and be confident in my work.” 

Imaginary worlds by Natalia Seth (The Imaginary World of Natalia Seth)

Social media has also created a platform for Natalia to use her voice to raise awareness on issues meaningful to her. Natalia has created a multitude of artwork that sparks conversations on societal issues, from the surge in hate crimes targeted at Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic to the racial injustices faced by the Black community. “I felt that fire again,” she says, and to express this overwhelming emotion, she turned to art. While creating artwork that would later inspire millions on social media, she thought to herself, “What if I tied emotion into these problems—maybe I can help.”

As Natalia continues on her artistic journey, she hopes to delve further into the spheres of art, from fashion to television. “I really like the idea of animation,” she continues, “because I feel like a cartoon character myself.” Regardless of where her path takes her, Natalia’s greatest hope is to remind herself and encourage others to express their true selves. Even through all of the years of changes and creating, Natalia tells us, “I am reminded of who I truly am through my work.”

STORY JAMIE YI
PHOTOS NATALIA SETH