Master Teacher, Artist Annette Ciketic Dies

June 13, 1948-March 1, 2024

Annette Ciketic, native San Pedran died on March 1, 2024. The beloved teacher, artist and businesswoman was trained as an artist and teacher under the guidance of internationally famed Corita Kent (Sister Mary Corita), her style explored the extraordinary surprises of everyday living through various media forms. Annette was one of several prominent LA Harbor Area alumni of Immaculate Heart College who continued Corita’s legacy in San Pedro.

Annette was the executive director of fINdings Art Center in downtown San Pedro which serves as the support gallery for the temporarily closed Warner Grand Theater. Thanks to her, today, fiNdings Art Center works in three capacities. The community gallery annually hosts several shows for a variety of artists. The fINdings women’s project helps immigrant women of diverse heritage build entrepreneurial skills and discover their creative capabilities through designing art pieces and textiles that enrich their lives and benefit society. In honor of Sister Mary Corita Kent, the center has a variety of her artwork on hand at all times.

Before starting fiNdings, Ciketic was director of the Family Literacy Center. It’s a national program sponsored by Toyota: National Centers for Families, wherein family literacy programs help parents improve their parenting and literacy skills while providing children with early childhood education. When Annette retired from the center, fiNdings formed a group of immigrant women which evolved into the fiNdings Women’s Project.

Annette began her art explorations by designing classroom bulletin boards. Most of her early art was made for gift-giving. Annette worked in photography, graphic design, batik, serigraphy, paper maché, enamel, and jewelry. Later, she began oil painting and explicitly dedicated her work to exploring trees. She said many messages to be learned from trees and trees speak of life, hope, beauty, and shelter. 

In October 2010 she joined the artists at Angel’s Gate with her working studio in support of fINdings and endeavors such as the Women’s fINdings Project. She also served as a member of the Artists in Classrooms Program at Angels Gate Cultural Center and as a service learning adviser and adjunct professor at the former Marymount California University.

Ciketic’s adult life mirrored her faith ― a life committed to helping the youth, women, the indigent and the immigrant. 

In the 1980s, Ciketic served as youth director at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in San Pedro. While in this capacity in 1987, Ciketic helped organize Catholic youths from around the South Bay and Harbor Area to demonstrate their commitment to peace.

Catholic youths from around the world celebrated the founding of World Youth Day, declared by John Paul II. The pope asked young people to pray for peace and build a civilization of love.  In San Pedro, a rally focused on creating peace within neighborhoods and families 

She was also the coordinator of citizenship and English learning programs at the San Pedro/Narbonne Community Adult School. She said of the English learning program at the time, “It’s really good for the community as a whole because breaking down walls benefits us all.”

 ~ A celebration of Annette’s life will happen at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, at The Neighborhood Church, 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates.