Last night was the opening reception of the CA 101 Art Show hosted by Redondo Beach Art Group, and I had butterflies in my stomach. This was my first real art show, and I didn’t really know what to expect. It was being hosted at the AEG Redondo Beach Steam Station, a 20-year retired steam power plant that has fallen into disuse. The interior is a fascinating sight in and of itself—everywhere is industrial piping and machinery, most machinery dating from the 1940s. Everywhere inside the steam station were photographers with their DSLR cameras snapping photos of this rare opportunity to see the inside of the structure.
(My mom commented that the interior piping looked like “that screensaver that everyone had on their first computer”—remember?).
The space is large with high ceilings, and temporary gallery walls were constructed to fit in between dormant tanks and turbines. The caliber of art was high and the styles varied, from flowing, painted silks hanging from the ceiling to sculptures to paintings to assemblies of “junk” structured together in just such a way as to create something unique and visually stimulating. My piece, “Honu,” is displayed in Gallery 3 with abstract and contemporary pieces. My roommate, Rebekah, commented that my turtle was “looking particularly regal that day.” I was proud of my little turtle, too, for sharing walls with art like Erin Hanson’s van Gogh-like landscapes, an intricate and thought-provoking sculpture “Abyss” by Adrian Amjadi, and so many other talented painters, photographers, and sculptors.
Comprised purely of California artists, this gallery truly is, as stated in the program, “the thread that will capture your imagination, your feelings, and thoughts.”
If you have the opportunity, stop by this beautiful show in this remarkable location, and let your imagination and senses be free and stretched for a while.
Oh, and say hello to my little “Honu” while you are there.
Gallery Info AES Power Plant Redondo Beach 1100 North Harbor Drive Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Gallery Hours Saturday, June 8: 11:00am-8:00pm Sunday, June 9: 11:00am-7:00pm Friday, June 14: 5:00-9:00pm Saturday, June 15: 11:00am-8:00pm Sunday, June 16: 1:00-7:00pm
Thank you to all of my friends and supporters who came to the opening and celebrated with me! Your encouragement keeps me running!