The Contra Costa College art department will celebrate the beginning of the fall semester with an art exhibition showcasing the work of seven of its most talented women artists.

The event is organized by Bridge ArtSpace located at 23 Maine Avenue in Richmond.

Iris AlRoy, marketing director of Bridge Storage and Artspace, said, “I have been trying to do something with Contra Costa College for so long. I have been trying to raise awareness of what we have at Bridge. We brought this show together, and I think it’s wonderful.”

The exhibit titled “Series of 7” opened on Aug. 26 and it will run through Oct. 25 Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The artists come from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds and have discovered art as a medium of self-expression.

The work in the exhibition includes photographs from Deepa Suresh, Lisa Lacabanne and Mitzie Yamamoto.

Yamamoto features 12 of her macro photographs (extreme close up photography) such the Erie, Wired and Blue Mask.

“I like to create photographs that are unique, whether is a photograph of nature or newly created art of form,” Yamamoto said.

Suresh’s work features pictures of nature at its most dramatic such waves clattering on the deserted seashore.

“My desire is to bring people inside the moments of beauty that occur and to emotionally touch them,” Suresh said.

Lacabanne’s work includes three pictures of nature titled Baby Frame, Broken World and Cooking Hut.

“This exhibit brings me full circle having these images shared in a museum setting. Carefully edited, printed, matted and framed with the guidance of CCC.”

Series of 7 also includes paintings from Angela Douglas, Elmarise Owens and Paola Casillas with sculptures from Marva Reed.

Douglas’ work includes canvas oil paintings such Bebes Kids, Ice Queen, RIP Mac Dre and Space Jam.

“A lot of my painting are cartoon characters based on TV shows I watched when I was a kid, Douglas said.

Owens work includes nine paintings of various media such Aurora (pastels), Plumage (acrylics) and Bold (pastels).

“My artwork are portraits of black women, I usually try to do something kind of special with the lips,” Elmarise Owens said.

Casillas work includes seven acrylic paintings on canvas such El Gato, Sonrie and Nopalita.

“I was born in Mexico, so I incorporate a lot of stuff from my Mexican culture like Day of the Dead, Frida Khalo and the migration of Monarch butterflies,” Casillas said.

Reed’s work includes seven ceramic sculptures such freckles, Inner Peace and RedBone.

“My style I would say is classical European merged in with African. I like the Roman sculptures, but I want the sculptures to look like me,” Reed said. “Especially the texture of African hair and full lips.”

The art exhibit is displayed at Bridge ArtSpace in the main gallery, and it will have an opening reception featuring talks with the artist and refreshment on Sept. 7 from 4-7 p.m.

On Sept. 8 and Oct. 13, the gallery will host a meet and greet with the artists and food truck party from noon to 3 p.m.