Chris Yarbrough is a high school student, just starting what he hopes will be a career in art. Keith Dagley is a seasoned artist who taught for many years and has been painting full time for several years. Both are showing their works in new exhibits opening during Ogden's First Friday Art Stroll.
The First Friday Art Stroll is a monthly event, offering the chance to check out new exhibits after regular business hours. The next stroll officially starts at 6 p.m. May 4, although a few galleries welcome visitors as early as 5 p.m.; many of the galleries stay open until 9 p.m., serving light refreshments and introducing artists.
Most of the galleries and shops participating in the art stroll are along Historic 25th Street, from Wall Avenue to Washington Boulevard, making it possible to walk from gallery to gallery. A few more galleries are on surrounding streets, and as far away as Huntsville and Weber State University.
Admission to the First Friday Art Stroll is free.
For more information about the stroll, call 801-393-3866 or go online to http://www.facebook.com/OgdenCityArts.
* Gallery 51, at Ogden's Union Station, is hosting an art exhibit by students from Weber School District's Two Rivers High School. The display includes works by about 10 students, with Christopher Yarbrough as the featured artist.
"They're mainly oil paintings, and very expressive," said Stephen Henry, the school's art teacher, speaking of Yarbrough's work. "The main technique he uses is three-color process, using very transparent layers of the primary colors to make a broad range of colors when they're applied to the canvas."
Yarbrough, of Roy, started exploring art with sketches and watercolors. "I first picked it up and found love in aesthetic beauty," he said. "It gave me a release of emotions -- joy, happiness and anger."
People liked his work, and encouraged him to keep going.
"All I do is create art for the beauty, and it comes out great," he said.
He now prefers oil paint, instead of watercolors. "I like the fluidity to the movement of the paint," said the artist.
Yarbrough paints a variety of subjects. "I did a set of three birds," he said. "The birds represent youth, the middle-aged, and by the end it turns out to be the old, wise bird."
Another piece he's showing is called "Reminiscence."
"That's probably the most meaningful to me," he said of the painting of a blue-haired angel.
Yarbrough wants to go into the Peace Corps, but he also plans to continue studying art with hopes of a future career.
"I've been painting like crazy -- it's all I've wanted to do," he said. "This show is very meaningful to me, to actually get my art out there."
Reception, 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 4, at 2501 Wall Ave., Ogden, with live music and poetry by Two Rivers students. The exhibit continues 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, through May 29. 801-393-9890. Free.
* Gallery at the Station is opening an exhibit of paintings and pencil drawings by Keith Dagley, with ceramics by Eric Christiansen.
Dagley, of North Ogden, recently returned from the Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale, Ariz., which runs from January to March each year.
"When I come home, I have several pieces I've done while I was down there," he said, joking that he can get more done away from home because there's no to-do list. "My wife calls it my 'painter's vacation,' because I don't get interrupted."
Among the new paintings being shown in Ogden is an image of an American Indian dancer, with swirling movement and color.
"I like to paint just about everything, but I kind of specialize in cowboys and Indians," he said. "I have Native American ancestry, and it pushes me in that direction."
He grew up on a ranch, and it shows in the paintings of horses, cattle and cowboys.
"I had probably the best childhood you could ask for," Dagley said, admitting that days in the saddle didn't seem too great when he was a teen. "But those things all build into the reason you do what you do, and they make great subjects for me to delve into now."
Dagley, who taught art for 33 years in Weber County schools, explores other subjects as well -- from portraits of chickens to the warm glow of lights.
"I'm a sucker for lights," he said.
Reception, 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 4, at 2501 Wall Ave., Ogden. The exhibit continues 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, through May 29. 801-393-9890. Free.
* Eccles Community Arts Center is showing an invitational exhibit called "Faces." The exhibit includes work by well-known Utah artists Osral Allred, Heather Barron, Robin L. Farr, Jerry Hancock, Irene Rampton and Paul Trentelman. Ceramics by Leslie Salinas will also be on display.
The art center's Carriage House gallery will feature paintings by Ogden-born Dianne Paskett, who now lives in Montana. She started her painting career at the age of 65, when she asked for art supplies for her birthday. Nine months later, she was winning awards for her paintings at a county fair.
Reception, 5-9 p.m. Friday, May 4. The show continues 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays, at 2580 Jefferson Ave., Ogden. 801-392-6935. Free.
* Ogden Arts hosts the Palette Club of Ogden's Spring Competition.
Reception, 6-9 p.m. Friday, May 4, in the street-level suites at 2484 Washington Blvd., Ogden. The show continues 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, through May. 801-393-3866. Free.
PREVIEW
- WHAT: First Friday Art Stroll
- WHEN: 5-9 p.m. May 4
- WHERE: Ogden art galleries, most along Historic 25th Street, from Wall to Jefferson avenues
- ADMISSION: Free; 801-393-3866, www.facebook.com/OgdenCityArts