The work of two local women artists will be featured at the Eccles Community Art Center, 2580 Jefferson Avenue, Ogden during September 2009. Mother and daughter artists Colleen H. Bradford and Colette Bradford of Brigham City will display their paintings in the Main Gallery.

Featured in the Carnage House gallery will be the works of DarIa Roberts of Salt Lake City.

An evening reception for the artists is scheduled on Friday, September 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. in association with Ogden’s First Friday Street Stroll.

Colleen said “she did not choose art, art chose her.” She has been drawing and painting since the age of three. She has studied art at Utah State University. Her instructors included Adrian Van Suchtelen, Joseph Mugnaini, Daniel Green and Frank Covino.

Colleen enjoys traveling. On her travels she paints and collects inspiration for other painting which she completes in her studio. She has traveled throughout Europe and into Turkey. Works from her travels will be included in this exhibition.

Colleen’s work has been exhibited locally as well as nationally. She was invited to participate in the Utah Arts Council’s “Windows in Art” touring exhibition.

Colleen’s daughter Colette says “as a small child I spent a lot of time drawing, coloring and painting.” She often preferred time alone creating to time spent playing with friends. “I dreamed of seeing my paintings in galleries and museums.”

Colette was awarded a Sterling Scholar in Art in 1982. Since then she has participated in numerous competitions. She was one of the ten finalist for the Artist of the year Competition for Duck Unlimited International. In 1988 she was one of the top five artists in the Utah State Waterfall Stamp Competition. In 1996, she designed a Centennial blanket for Baron’s Rocky Mountain Wool Corp. and Brigham City’s Centennial banners.

Currently, her preferred theme is still life and floral art.

“My still life set-ups are composed of items that mean something to me and items that I find,” she said.

Colette’s studies in art included time at Utah State University and traveling and studying art in Washington D.C., Italy, France, Switzerland, and England with a group of artists.

Colette’s art may now be seen in galleries and art museums. She exhibits and competes in Regional and National shows, participates in invitational and one person exhibits. Her work may be found in private collections across the United States.

DarIa Roberts is a wildlife and animal artist. Since 1997 she has participated in the Annual Hogle Zoo Art Show. In 2000 her entry won the employee’s choice award, and in 2001 she was invited to design the poster for the art show.

Darla is a member of the Intermountain Society of Artists. She is qualified and has maintained an ISA Member of Merit and is currently on the ISA.board-as Chair of the Member of Merit.

Darla says “Throughout my life my love of art has brought me great joy. I’ve studied and experimented with several mediums, but my discovery of Prismacolor pencils in 1994 opened a new world for me to communicate artistically and has remained my medium of choice accenting with pastels.’

The public is invited to view the works of these three women artists at the Eccles Community Art Center September 4-26. Admission is free. Regular gallery hours are weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information: 801-392-6935 or www.ogden4arts.org.