RIDGWAY – Six Ridgway artists have joined forces to put on an Art Studio Night, featuring art viewings and sales at two Clinton Street locations, Issenberg Design Studio and the Independence Building, on Wednesday, Dec. 1 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Rich Durnan, Kane Scheidegger, Shauna Tewksbury, Kellie Day, Lisa Issenberg and Ann Mellick are the show’s featured artists, presenting photography, painting, jewelry, ceramics and functional art.

“We tend to stay in hiding,” says Issenberg of herself and most of her fellow artists in Ridgway. “For a small town, there are a high percentage of artists here, and doing events like this once in a while is a benefit to all involved.”

Issenberg specializes in innovative, custom metalwork, from detailed jewelry to large-scale architectural installations. For the show, she will have on display her jewelry (also available at the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art), clocks, felt pouches, and other functional pieces.

Durnan is known for his travel and nature photography, something he’s focused on for the last 15 years. He is also frequent teacher for Weehawken Creative Arts. “I like landscapes and images that include people in them. People interacting with nature, climbing, riding a bike, hiking, all help give perspective, and scale. People are a natural part of any landscape,” Durnan states on his website.

Scheidegger is a graphic designer, photographer and fine art printer, who grew up in the Ridgway region. After a stint as a landscaper designer in Santa Fe, he moved to Fort Lauderdale to attend graphic design school. After returning to Ridgway, he started 2D Studioz.

Like Durnan and Scheidegger, Tewksbury is also a photographer. Her work explores black and white portraiture. She has a bachelor’s degree in photography from Prescott College, where she studied historical photographic processes and large format photography.

Kellie Day is an illustrator and graphic designer, and owns Dayzign Graphics in Ridgway. Her mixed media and watercolor paintings were recently featured at a solo show at Cimarron Coffee and Books. Her work will be on display along with Scheidegger’s, Durnan’s and Tewksbury’s at the Independence Building, 555 Clinton St. for the Dec. 1 show.

Mellick, a ceramicist, will display her work with Issenberg at Issenberg’s studio across the street from the Independence Building at 609 Clinton St. According to Issenberg, Mellick stays busy in the winter as the avalanche forecaster for Lizard Head Pass. “She’s been working in ceramics for a number of years; she’s very talented.”

Issenberg credits Tewksbury and Durnan for spearheading the event and bringing it to fruition. “It would be great for the community to see what we’ve all been working on,” she says. If Art Studio Night is successful, she is hopeful it can become an annual event.

The evening gathering runs 6 to 9 p.m. and will include refreshments at both locations.

More information about the artists and their work can be found at issenbergdesign.com; kelliedayart.com; richdurnanphoto.com; shaunatewksbury.com; and www.2sstudioz.com.