Please stop by to view some of the beautiful artwork on display in our conference room.

COLLEEN SHIRTS COATES

Colleen was born in Payson, Utah to Lesley and Ruth Shirts. After Colleen turned six years of age, her family moved to Hailey, Idaho where Colleen grew up and graduated from high school. Even though Colleen had no formal instruction, she loved to draw portraits of classmates and teachers. She met and married Lawrence Coates, and they began their life together by living in Rexburg until Lawrence graduated from Ricks College. In pursuit of formal education and a teaching career, they then began a two year moving cycle that involved living in Logan, Utah; Morgan, Utah; Sacramento, California; and Muncie, Indiana. They broke this pattern when they moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, where they stayed for four years.

In 1970, Colleen and Lawrence returned to Rexburg with their four children – Sherry, Elaine, Blair and Dan. While Lawrence taught at Ricks College, Colleen supplemented the family income by working in First Security Bank until she gave birth to Lyssa and Lynn. Sometime after the flood in 1976, Colleen began to fulfill a life long dream of seriously studying art. She took advantage of the free tuition offered to family members by Ricks College.

Colleen took classes in drawing, pottery and sculpture. She also studied painting with water colors, oils and acrylic. She appreciates the skills, perspectives and concepts that she developed by taking classes from Leon Parson, Robert Powell, Matt Geddes, Vince Bodily, Gerald Griffin, Arlo Coles and Richard Bird. These men not only taught her many important lessons, but they also encouraged her to share her talent by holding art shows.

The pictures in her chamber display represent only a small sample of the artwork that she has produced during many years of study. She appreciates the education that she has gained from these men as well as from other local artists in the Rexburg Community.

Colleen devotes many hours every week in promoting the appreciation of art in Rexburg by working with other artists who have joined the Rexburg Upper Valley Art Guild. Richard Bird spearheaded the creation of the Guild and Jay Hepworth has donated a building that has been renovated to display art shows. The Guild is located on 301 West 300 North in Rexburg. Currently, Colleen serves as Vice President of this association. Finally, she expresses her deep heartfelt appreciation to the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce for providing space to display the art produced by local artists.