It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
The Battle of Conception
The exhibition also presents larger sized Venus busts with reconstructed faces in another rare ceramic material named White Porcelain, shimmering with a mysterious tinge of blue. Due to the technical difficulties of firing these large-sized asymmetrical forms, the artist toiled through 130 pieces before successfully firing a set of 10 in three years. The evidence of enduring through hard labor imbues Han’s works with a haunting presence that captivates the viewer. The sense of “beauty’ that engulfs the viewer here is almost antithetical to the academic notions of beauty subscribed through education. The work confronts the question of the meaning of beauty as a way of perception.
WHALE WATCHING
Ken Ahern and his two sons Matthew, 6, and Oliver, 4, look through binoculars in search of Pacific Gray Whales during Santa Monica Pier Aquarium's, "Whale of a Weekend" on Saturday, February 19, 2011.
CATCHING AIR
A man kite surfs at Santa Monica Beach on Wednesday, February 16, 2011.
WHERE'S CHARLIE?
SAVING LIVES
SOFA SURFING AT THE PROMENADE
World's Longest Red Sofa - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz
People lounge on BoConcept's world's longest red sofa at the Third Street Promenade on Monday, February 14, 2011. The sofa was featured for the world's longest sofa speed-date on Valentines day. The couch is 213-foot long and weighs 2.17 tons.
Layla Lane
Singer-songwriter Heday and award-winning pianist Valerie Stern of Layla Lane perform at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Sunday, February 13, 2011.
Layla Lane is a band that dazzlingly embraces the rock genre, cutting through it with a vintage edge and a sprinkling of gypsy swing. Utilizing an abundance of instruments from across the musical spectrum, Layla Lane consistently showcases the ability to not only capture the imagination of the casual music listener but also to intrigue the most intense of enthusiasts.
Perhaps this is due to the unique influence of both classical music and rock implemented into each recording. Or perhaps it is the depth and emotion in the melodies that come spilling out to the listener, stemming from precise efforts to place each note in its proper place. Whatever it may be, the result is a crystal-clear sort of pop that brings listeners back to what was and forward to what may be.
Check out their tunes and more at www.myspace.com/laylalanemusic
Nebulous
A blanked of fog sweeps past the Santa Pier on Sunday, February 13, 2011.