2017
WORKS
CURATOR
RESUME
CONTACT
continued
2016
The Beach Reporter, May 30, 2017
Redondo Beach's CA 101 art exhibit explores fake news, immigration, politics
Fake news, immigration, President Trump … issues that have made headlines in recent months have also inspired artists.
“A lot of what’s happening in the world is being reflected in the work that artists are doing now,” said curator Nina Zak Laddon, including the dozens of artists taking part in the sixth annual CA 101, which opens Friday, June 2, with an artist reception.
Presented by the Friends of Redondo Beach Arts, CA 101, the art exhibit named “It Takes a Village,” finds a new location every year, from the AES Power Plant to last year's exhibit at the South Bay Galleria. This year, the pop-up gallery moves into a 10,000 square-foot furniture store on Avenue I that will soon be demolished for new development.
continue reading
CA 101 2017, It Takes A Village, Riveria Village, Redondo Beach
Easy Reader, June 1, 2017
CA 101's "It Takes a Village" opens Friday
I don’t want to sound like a shill for the Friends of Redondo Beach Art, but the annual “CA 101” shows really do seem to get better year after year. And why shouldn’t they? For this one, entitled “It Takes a Village” (it’s being held in Redondo’s Riviera Village), there were 900 submissions from 55 cities up and down the state. Beginning tomorrow evening and on view through Sunday, June 11, we’ll get to savor the work of 137 artists. And, as before, the exhibition director is Sandra Dyer Liljenwall and the curator/juror is Nina Zak Laddon.
Without sacrificing quality, “CA 101” has managed to bring us both new and unfamiliar artists, old friends and new friends. I spoke with two of the latter, both showing locally for the first time.
continue reading
Sleepers, Gus Harper
Easy Reader News July 31, 2015
High Voltage:
CA 101 art show is plugged into the AES Power Plant
The AES Power Plant in Redondo Beach will be generating an extra dose of energy this weekend and next. “CA 101,” an annual exhibition now in its fourth year, has again pulled in a multitude of visual artists from up and down the state, and by multitude we’re talking roughly 126 artists and 157 works, with 76 of these artists exhibiting with “CA 101” for the first time.
In addition to paintings, drawings, and photographs, the staples of most gallery or museum shows, “CA 101” features 21 site-specific installations. That’s an impressive number by any standard, and something that needs to be seen in person because catalogues, videos or still images can never do them justice.
This reporter spoke with four of the installation artists at the end of last week while they were still busily at work: Andrea Senn-Kitts, Patty Grau, Lauren Kasmer, and Cie Gumucio. Before shooing me away, this is what they revealed.
AIRING DIRTY LAUNDRY
“When I came to look at the space I saw this old steam engine that has that door that looks like an old laundry machine,” says Andrea Senn-Kitts. “I’ve always had this idea of doing an offshore laundering, money laundering sort of project. When I saw this I’m, like, okay, this could be the space for it.”
continue reading
2015
The Beach Reporter, Jun 27, 2014
Artists flock to Redondo: CA 101 art exhibit, with more than 100 artists, will take place at the Redondo Beach Pier
More than 100 artists from all over California will showcase more than 230 pieces of art at the third annual CA 101 art exhibit, which opens at the Pier Plaza on the Redondo Beach Pier, with a reception on Friday, June 20.
Forty artists from Redondo Beach, six from Hermosa Beach and three from Manhattan Beach are featured out of the 39 cities represented in CA 101. The art will occupy several business offices in the Pier Plaza. According to curator Nina Zak Laddon, they received more than 650 entrees, but selected 231 in total. Photography was easily the most popular medium submitted and accepted to CA 101, followed by mixed media and oil painting.
“What’s interesting to see as a curator is to see so many submissions in photography,” Laddon said. “Photography nowadays is leaping giant steps … Photoshop is like history, antiquity. Other very interesting things are happening in photography. The stuff that came in is absolutely gorgeous.”
Exhibition director Sandra Liljenwall said the interaction between the local artists and those visiting has been “wonderful.”
continue reading
The Beach Reporter, July 31, 2015
AES Power Plant hosts CA 101 art showcase
in Redondo Beach
The AES Power Plant once again hosts CA 101, a showcase for artists from San Diego to Santa Cruz, which opens Friday, July 31, with a reception.
Curator Nina Zak Laddon said they received applications from nearly 250 artists throughout 65 California cities to take part in the fourth annual exhibit. They looked at nearly 1,200 works of art, but they narrowed it down to 157 works, including 21 site-specific installations. Photography and mixed-media were easily the most popular medium submitted and accepted to CA 101. Many of the artists have never exhibited in Redondo Beach.
“We are so excited that we have so many new artists. The biggest group is from Los Angeles, which is 24 artists,” said Laddon, adding that 23 artists are representing Redondo Beach, which is the most in the South Bay.
Exhibition director Sandra Liljenwall said this year’s art is probably the strongest in the exhibit’s short history.
“Everybody is unique, but they complement each other as you go down the gallery ... the artwork that has come in, it all dovetails into a wonderful expression of what the art world should be,” Liljenwall said.
One And Three, Parallax, Mike Saijo
2014
Pinpricks and Potions,
BB McIntyre
The Beach Reporter, June 5, 2013
Inspired by California: The second CA 101 art exhibit takes place
over two weekends beginning Friday, June 7
California has inspired generations of artists and that continues today, across the state and into the beach cities a well. CA 101 2013, which opens this weekend at the historic AES Power Plant in Redondo Beach, explores how living in the Golden State inspires their work.
Produced by the nonprofit groups, Friends of Redondo Beach Arts and the Redondo Beach Art Group, CA 101 features 117 artists from 35 California cities. There are 180 works of art, according to curator and juror Nina Zak Laddon. The exhibit opens Friday, June 7, from 5 to 9 p.m., and will also take place June 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16.
“We feel that we really are open to everyone ... if we see that it has that feel that we're looking for of art influenced by the fact we're living in California and we're living in a little city like Redondo Beach or big metropolitan area like Los Angeles,” Laddon said. “When we gather it all together the challenge is working with so many different mediums … (and we) just make it flow so you feel like you're visiting the art world of California.”
continue reading
2013
CA 101 2016,
Front & Center, South Bay Galleria, Redondo Beach CA
The Beach Reporter, July 21, 2016
Art exhibit moves from AES to South Bay Galleria
Easy Reader, July 20, 2016
“CA 101” has an impressive lineup of artists from throughout the state
Just as Highway 101 brings together northern and southern California, so it is with “CA 101,” the annual arts exhibition founded four years ago in Redondo Beach.
Previous exhibitions have taken place at the AES Power Plant, the Palos Verdes Inn, and on the Redondo Beach Pier. This year it’s in the heart of the South Bay Galleria, near Macy’s, on the corner of Hawthorne and Artesia.
“CA 101” has become more prestigious during its short history. Now there are 141 artists from 69 different cities, with 240 works lined up for our viewing pleasure.
“An art exhibit like ‘CA 101’ takes a lot of hard work but the key element to the success of the show are the extraordinary artists,” says exhibition director Sandra Dyer Liljenwall.
Notes curator Nina Zak Laddon, “Curating ‘CA 101’ is a journey to a different land each year, a voyage full of discoveries, a quest for beauty and a study of our culture.”
Dyer Liljenwall and Zak Laddon are also the co-founders of “CA 101.”
Although some people may prematurely conclude that the show features the same local artists that they’ve been seeing since forever, 136 of the works on display are by artists entirely new to “CA 101.” Many of them are at the top of their game, too. As Redondo Beach Mayor Steve Aspel points out, “‘CA 101’ brings artists from all over California to Redondo Beach. Our residents and visitors have the opportunity to see what contemporary artists are creating today.”
continue reading
The Beach Reporter, July 27, 2016
CA 101 gives Galleria an artistic vibe
CA 101, the beach cities’ annual pop-up art exhibition, electrifies the South Bay Galleria mall this year, featuring 141 artists and 240 artworks. Running through July 31, the stellar mix of local and regional California artists includes works in oil, watercolor, mixed media and photography, as well as a variety of major installation art.
Produced by the Friends of Redondo Beach Arts (FRBA), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts in Redondo Beach, opening night last Friday was packed with more than 1,000 visitors taking in the exciting exhibition, which is divided into two spaces: the CA 101 Gallery and the CA 101 Affordable Art Store, featuring original works for sale at $200 or less.
The exhibition changes locations every year, and with the last four years featuring South Redondo Beach locations, including the Palos Verdes Inn, the AES Power Plant, and spaces on the Redondo Beach pier. Exhibition Director Sandra Dyer Liljenwall, and curator Nina Zak Laddon looked for a unique space in North Redondo—and found it.
Expecting to Fly, Denis Richardson
Nearly 70 California cities are represented in the fifth annual CA 101, an art exhibit that will move from the AES power plant to the South Bay Galleria this year beginning with an opening reception Friday, July 22, starting at 5 p.m.
More than 200 artists submitted 928 art works of all mediums, with mixed media/assemblage being the most popular in the exhibit, followed by photography and installations.
“Working and creating an art exhibit like CA 101 takes a lot of hard work, but the key element to the success of the show are the extraordinary artists who have submitted phenomenal work to CA 101,” said Sandra Dyer Liljenwall, exhibition director. “We have 141 artists and 240 artworks in the show and the excitement is mounting.”
