The Interview: Natalia Lantonio

From home in Newport Beach, we laud the legal pioneer and cosmopolitan globetrotter, Natalia Lantonio, who shows the world the American Dream though a path of books, art, self-discovery and the relentless practice of  'discipline equals freedom'.

By Ricardo ­Antonio López­-Portillo y Lancaster-­Jones

The Place for Inspiration -  Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

1.-Tell us a bit about the book you have written.

 The book “The Artist’s Way” inspired me to start writing my own book when I just moved to California. This wasn’t an easy time for me, but writing helped me to explore inner possibilities. When I write I talk with myself. My book is my best friend who can understand and listen.

My creativity emanated from a literature class when I was inspired to write by famous Russian authors. California’s influence made a significant impact on my ability to write what my soul desires. But I write in Russian to describe my feelings and emotions because is a language of great poets and novelists and is my mother tongue, of course.

Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” influenced and changed my perception to a degree that, after all that I’ve written, I was brave enough to claim that I felt like if I rewrote the fourth part of such Novel.

My book is not only about sunny days, but most importantly about experiences I went through by discovering who I really am: I have the brains of a lawyer and the soul of an artist.

“As to “Magic” remember MagicQuest…” - Bo Svenson
Actor, Film Director and Producer, Author and Screenwriter

2.-How has your multicultural life—Russian heritage, becoming an American, having studies and obtaining a law degree in the USA —influenced your career?

It gave me tremendous possibilities to keep any door open. I couldn’t even have imagined during my childhood that my destiny will bring me to America. In those early days, when I couldn’t yet read, I loved listening to my mom when she read me the book “The Little Prince” by ‎Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. During that time, I probably developed the path of always aiming to be walking on the stars and, I believe this milky way brought me somehow to California.

I was an attorney with a successful legal career in Russia. However, an American Master of Laws degree drastically expanded my professional experience.

I learned a common law system on top of the civil law practice.

Then I met classmates from all over the world which is probably only possible in the USA. Finally, my activities and presentations gave me an opportunity to work for a Hollywood motion picture company where I became an Executive Producer besides of my legal practice from overseas.

I believe I'm still an explorer in my career path because I consider different areas of work after the pandemic. I'm pretty confident that my international legal skills and abilities to communicate cross-culturally bring a significant impact on every company that is working with me and that has teamed up in the past. 

I am not just taking about responsibilities. I bring the best version of myself to work.

“I have been swimming since my early childhood”
Natalia Lantonio

3.-You were a dancer from a young age. What lessons did you take from dancing into your career?

I went up a stage for a performance dance in Russia when I was five years old. I still remember being the leader who took the first steps in our dance team. It was dark and scary, and I was afraid for a moment that I forgot all the dance movements. Only by being brave enough to take the first step to the stage and lead the team, I realized that my body remembers everything!

I also discovered that I don’t see anyone from the stage due to the bright lights of the projectors which made me feel that I’m just dancing for me. This is the key in any dance I went through life - I dance for myself without distractions from others.

I didn’t become a professional dancer, but I love being on the stage. This lesson helps me to stay focused in any speech. When I take a microphone in my hands I feel naturally engaged with the audience.

I prepare and practice any speech, interview or important conversations many times in advance. This preparation gives me self-confidence in any interaction. However, I noticed that my best speech goes from the heart instead of paper.

This is what I took from a dance in my early age. Like I usually say: I’m a dancer from the soul

Painting “Life” by Natalia Lantonio in Laguna Beach, California

4.-You also paint. What advice do you give to other creatives, painters, writers, dancers...?

It took me four years of preparation and four hours in our outside class in Laguna Beach to paint this painting.

This time I wasn’t prepared, but I kept my inspiration within for a long time. My creativity is always looking for ways to get out. Here I would say: let your improvisation lead you without any preparation.

Sometimes an unexpected outcome can jump through the roof or beyond any expectations.

People who I barely knew surrounded me during my painting. They were watching how my improvisation is coming to life. I heard some suggestions about a boat, but my hand turned it into a dress.

I just let this force to be where it wants to go without any pressure on my end.

For instance, I heard children’s laugh nearby and immediately painted it as yellow smiles.

So, everything here is my creativity and imagination. I just let it be!

Crystal Cove, California

5.-Where do you look for creative inspiration?

The Pacific Ocean is my creative source of inspiration in California. I have never seen such a powerful source of energy like here. Whenever I feel down, I go to the ocean and ask him for help.

The first year in California I tried surfing on my birthday. An instructor told me that I am ready to surf because I feel water very well. He directed me to the wave and I realized that my legs are much ahead from my body. Despite that, I stayed for a second on the board with all my strength. I have been swimming since my childhood in the Russian River Volga. I knew that an underwater current is unpredictable, but I didn’t expect to spin around three times roughly like clothes in a washing machine. Anyway, I survived and became Californian since then.

I started to respect the ocean and be thankful for my life. I also received the respect from the biggest ocean in the world in return from that moment. His waves even go around me and never touch me anymore. It was love at first sight and respect for life. I truly believe that all of that stays forever.

“Little Helper” - a famous squirrel in Newport Beach, California

6.-Is it hard to stay innovative?

I find innovation even in daily activities. When I just moved to a new home, local squirrels started to explore my plants. Some of my neighbors that liked my little garden told me that they can be a trouble. I said that it cannot be because I see the eyes of God in these little creatures.

So, I trained them so that they don’t eat my plants. I call them little helpers since they work in my garden in exchange of nuts. They started to feel home here because I guess nobody treated them so well.

Thus, these animals including birds became my lovely pets and some of them eat from my hands.

You can consider it as innovation.  I simply call it trust that you can build in any relationship. From personal interaction to business partnership, I can develop sustainable and trustworthy relationships. Because of my tremendous experience working with people from different cultures it became easy for me to stay innovative and explore new possibilities.

The Place for Discovery - Getty Villa, Los Angeles   

7.-How do you walk the line between law and art in your daily life?

I think law and art complement each other. When I review an agreement, I am very focused because even a little detail can make a huge difference. I would say here: I wrap the agreement like a gift to make it more durable. So, this can be considered as an art work.

As for creativity, legal background is really helpful to keep your legs grounded when you know you were born to fly. Every unexpected outcome can be art, but a lawyer inside of me helps to make it more sustainable.

Freedom goes from within, Monarch Bay, California

8.-How do you identify inspiration and talent?

Inspiration comes from outside forces while talent goes from within. There is no doubt that you have to develop your talents trough your life, but you were born with them.

On the other hand, you can be inspired by other people, stories, new places or activities and of course by art. These are outside sources that can possibly influence everyone. However, the deepness of your inspiration probably depends on your perception of life. More profound experience of life you have, deeper inspiration you can feel even from simple things. Sometimes, one smile is enough to inspire you significantly and stay in your memory for life.

“Home is the place that describes who you are” Natalia Lantonio

9.-You’re both the business head of your company and a creative person. How do you balance your time between the two?

I have a schedule that helps me to be organized. I’ve red in one book with the name “How to read books” by Adler one interesting phrase: “Discipline is the source of your freedom”. I understood this quote deeply; how it was suggested in the book. Then I realized that our daily routine can create habits, then activities and then your destiny. So, there are no questions for me in regards of time management. I just know why I do it. In this case I don’t need any additional motivation to work.

On the other hand, I don’t notice the time when I am painting or dancing. I just choose some proper time to do that. So, I always can find the time for what I truly love to do and, I am responsible enough to accomplish my essential tasks on time. This comes from my professional experience.

The Place for Creation, Getty Center, Los Angeles

10. Is there anything I didn’t ask; that you think is important?

This is one of my favorite questions that I learned from my favorite podcast of a very interesting professor from Stanford: “Think Fast, Talk Smart”. Once I was brave enough to implement it into practice during a one-hour panel interview. A Vice President of the company that considered me for work told me that she had never heard this question from anyone else. I learned that I will not ask it again if I want to be hired. So, it is definitely hard for me to find a right fit for work to expand my skills and knowledge when I was born to stand out. However, I truly believe that all roads lead me to my destiny in California while my creativity helps me to inspire others even during daily routine. I always find a reason to smile, and my positive attitude spreads to the environment when I live or work. I think my best work or project is yet to come!

Where can people find you?

They can reach me on: info.natalialantonio@gmail.com