EL SEGUNDO HERALD July 8, 2021 Page 5
Natalie Strong from front page
chips fall in the right direction, will resume
this year in late August.
Murphy has known Strong for eight or so
years, with their friendship starting when the
mom’s shepherded their kids to-and-from
school. Murphy said that their paths have
crossed in many ways. “We are both artists,
in different media,” Murphy said, noting that
her artistic design specialties include fabric
and tile and paint and appliances and lumber,
while Strong specializes in “fiber arts,” but
she also “paints and draws, and does all sorts
of other things.”
Murphy said that their shared interest
in artistic projects had led her to commission
Strong to design not only “a beautiful
custom quilt for my own house,” but also
pieces for Murphy’s clients, including
embroidered and painted items. Murphy
has also hosted Strong’s work during prior
Art Walks.
“We are kindred spirits,” Murphy said.
“Natalie cares so much,” noting her work
for the El Segundo library and the arts and
cultural committee. “She does it with her
whole heart, with a passion for promoting
art in all of its forms. She is definitely a
voice of art in town.”
As previously noted, Strong was a Manhattan
Beach gal who attended Chadwick,
moved for an awhile to Hermosa Beach, and
settled in El Segundo with husband Richard.
He just happened to be recently profiled in
the Herald. Why land in El Segundo?
Strong cited the strength of the El Segundo
Unified School District, as well as
El Segundo being touted as a good place
to raise her children. And is a city located
close to her day job, which she has plied
for nearly two decades, as she runs her
father’s dental office in Manhattan Beach.
Strong said that her proximity to her
workplace, as well as her proximity to
her boss (her dad), has allowed her to work
a schedule that not only has provided the
opportunity to attend her children’s events,
but also given her the chance to pursue her
passions on the artistic side. So here are some
of Strong’s contributions: Vice-chairperson,
ES Arts and Cultural Advisory Council,
Art teacher with the ES Parks and Recreation
Department, private art teacher, with
students ranging from ages four to thirteen,
ES Art Walk participant, Administrator of
the ‘Room of Requirement at the ES public
library, part-timer at the El Segundo Museum
of Art, columnist for the ‘El Segundo
Scene’ magazine and published author in the
‘El Segundo Writes’ anthology.
And when she is not working for pay,
volunteering her time, or supporting her
husband and kids, Strong said she likes to
quilt and knit. When asked why she is so
passionate about participating in art-related
projects, Strong said she sees a vital need
for “everyone to express themselves. Some
people do it with gardening, some with
computer coding. Arts are an important way
to enrich the community, make the world
more beautiful.”
Strong has been working on the Arts
and Culture Council for three years. She
sees the council’s mandate as one that tries
to continue bringing culture to our city,
“lending a hand to existing projects,” as
well as developing new endeavors. She
is eagerly looking forward to, now that
the COVID scourge has decreased, the
resumption of the Art Walk program,
and other similar El Segundo cultural
outreach activities.
As for her post with the Parks and Recreation
department, which Strong said that
she has manned for about five years, she
is looking forward to working again with
the youths of El Segundo. “I can’t wait for
it to all come back,” she said while noting
a tentative resumption date of programs
this Fall. “I never stop being inspired by
the things kids think of,” she said. “Their
brains work definitely different than ours,”
she said.
She hopes her work with the El Segundo
Museum of Art will commence soon. She is
looking forward to teaching her ‘just draw’
class as soon as she gets the green light. “I
love the museum,” she said. “The people
over there are so interesting, and creative,
and inspiring.”
So, the definition of an alchemist, at least
the first one that I conjured up, is a person
who practices alchemy. Which is a useless
definition, right? I learned a long time ago
as I was studying journalism at the great Cal
State Dominguez Hills campus, under the
tutelage of the hopefully still strolling around
Mr. Davidson, was that you could not define
a word by using that same word. Easy way
out. So here is my second attempt to seek
a definition of an alchemist: “a person who
transforms or creates something through a
seemingly magical process.”
OK, that definition seems to encapsulate the
efforts of Natalie Strong and her endeavors
to make El Segundo a better place, striving
to” create gold out of every day.” •
Entertainment
Film Review
4 Films We’re Looking Forward to
Watching This July
By Ryan Rojas for Cinemacy
As heat waves keep things sizzling outside,
so too does this month’s hot new titles, which
we’ve rounded up in our July preview. Enjoy
some indoor air conditioning and catch up
on these highly anticipated films, both in
theaters and streaming, from your living room.
In our July preview, we include some films
whose original releases were delayed due to
the pandemic, as well as all-new releases.
We’re ready to settle in with a cold beverage
and watch everything in this month’s July
preview – are you?
No Sudden Move
What it’s about: A group of criminals are
brought together under mysterious circumstances
and have to work together to uncover
what’s really going on when their simple job
goes completely sideways.
Why we’re looking forward to it: After
making Let Them All Talk for HBO Max,
Steven Soderbergh is back with another film
for the streaming service. Not only is he
returning to his heist roots (with an amazing
all-star cast to boot), but he’s taking things
back to 1950s era noir, which is a time period
we cannot wait to see his vision of.
‘No Sudden Move’ opens in select theaters
and is available to stream on HBO Max
starting Thursday, July 1st.
Summer of Soul (...Or,
When the Revolution
Could Not Be Televised)
What it’s about: Summer Of Soul (...
Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be
Televised) is a feature documentary about
the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival
which celebrated African American music
and culture, and promoted Black pride
and unity.
Why we’re looking forward to it: I first
saw this film make its premiere at the Sundance
Film Festival, and it was rightfully awarded
the Festival Winner Documentary. Director
Questlove knows that music is always
accompanied by stories, and the stories
here–along with never-before-seen archival
footage–makes this one of the most powerful
films of the year so far.
Clockwise, from top left: ‘No Sudden Move, ‘Summer of Soul,’ The Green Knight,’ ‘Roadrunner’
CLASSIFIED ADS – ONLY $40
for twenty words or less.
Email class@heraldpublications.com or call 310-322-1831 for more information.
“Creativity is allowing
yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
– Scott Adams
JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL EVENING EVENT!
Enjoy a leisurely stroll along Richmond St. & Grand Ave.
and visit some of your favorite places!
RENDEZVOUS ON
RICHMOND
“ENTERTAINMENT AT” JULY 11, 2021
BUY.SELL.TRADE
GET 2
FREE
VINYL RECORDS
4PM TO 8PM
Kelly’s Beach Hut • Frocks & Rocks
The Patio • Richmond Bar & Grill
and Others
YOU’VE WORKED SO HARD
getting your business off the ground
Please give your business the name it deserves
DBAS PUBLISHED FOR ONLY $75.00
Email dba@heraldpublications.com or call 310-322-1830 for more information.
See Film Review, page 13