Jazz singer Sony Holland performs at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Sunday, February 6, 2011.

A couple walk hand in hand along the Santa Monica shoreline amid the sunset on Tuesday, February 1, 2011.

Santa Monica Fire Chief Scott Ferguson bowls during the Fifteenth Annual "SuperBowl-A-Thon" at AMF Bay Shore Lanes on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011. The SuperBowl-A-Thon brings together the private and public sector in an effort to eradicate homelessness in Santa Monica and transform the community. It benefits the Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition’s efforts to strengthen services to homeless and at-risk, men, women and families through education, advocacy and service coordination.

Alex Bologna looks at art from members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica at One West Bank on Friday, February 4, 2011. The art is part of a competition of the  Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) National Fine Arts Exhibit program.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica is one of more than 4,000 Clubs across the country uniting in a search to identify talented young artists.  

BGCA’s National Fine Arts Exhibit program is a comprehensive initiative promoting young people’s creativity and encouraging artistic skills and cultural enrichment. This year-round program inspires artistic expression among Club members ages 6 to 18 through classes, special events and fine art exhibits. The program offers guidance in various media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, mixed media and sculpture.  

As a participant in the National Fine Arts Exhibit program, the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Monica has submitted members’ artwork in four age divisions and 10 categories, including watercolor, pastel, oil, acrylic and collage. Selected artwork will be screened this week to potentially compete at the regional level, and a limited number could be sent to BGCA’s Atlanta headquarters for judging at the national level. Thirty-seven national winners will be named and their artwork displayed at special events throughout the year. Winning artists will also receive an engraved plaque and letter of congratulations from BGCA President Roxanne Spillett. Regional finalists will receive a certificate of participation.  

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Monica have participated in the National Fine Arts Exhibit for three consecutive years and this year more than 1,100 Clubs participated, giving members the opportunity to see their artwork professionally displayed before their family, peers and community. 

Interpretive Painting  Artist  Norton Wisdom  performance in collaboration with  Mariachis Los Caltecas De California  at Lula Cocina Mexicana on Tuesday, February 1, 2011. 

Mongolian contortionist Odgerel Gombo, 40, performs at the Santa Monica Pier on Monday, January 31, 2011.

highwire Ryan Riggs, 26, maintains the equipment at Trapeze School New York (TSNY) Los Angeles at the Santa Monica Pier on Monday, January 31, 2011.