A unique aspect of Niza Knoll Gallery is the in-house artist co-op, The Mix, at the back of the space. Since the inception of the gallery, it has been home to a lovely array of artworks to purchase and take home immediately. Each year the group extends its reach into the entire gallery space, holding two separate exhibitions that highlight four of eight member artists at a time. The first show “The Mix, One,” runs September 4 – October 18, 2026, featuring ceramics by Nancy Enyart, felted wool paintings by Kristy Melodia, photography by Jerry Scezney, and ceramics by Paula Romero Schmitt.
The opening day coincides with September’s First Friday Art Walk on September 4, 5–9 p.m., with an artist reception scheduled for Third Friday, September 18, 5–8 p.m. Regular gallery hours are Thursday – Sunday, 1 – 4 p.m. The construction on Santa Fe Drive will not affect these hours.
Nancy Enyart brings a new series of hand-built ceramic elephants to life in this show. She finds immense pleasure working with a lump of clay and finds that the medium increasingly encourages her to play with representational forms and push at the strict rules of reality. Wandering further afield, her elephants are getting into places elephants have never gone before—a fun adventure for them, for her and for the viewer.
When not creating ceramics, felted wool is the medium of choice for Kristy Melodia, who will exhibit her latest 2-d pieces. Inspired by nature and her travels at home and abroad, she manipulates wool fibers to mix colors and build an image. The result is a highly textured “painting” that displays a surprising level of depth, detail and color range.
For this show, Jerry Scezney will showcase the variety of themes and subject matter in his current photography work. As a hobbyist, based in Golden, Colorado and Guilford, Connecticut, he has over 40 years of experience in landscape and wildlife photography throughout the Rocky Mountain and New England areas. Captivated by light—its impact and ability to shape mood and ambiance—his style encompasses abstract, street art, minimalist, and black and white. His work appears in various community publications including Denver, Genesee CO, and Guilford, CT. He is also a member of the Colorado Photographic Arts Center of Denver.
Every one of Paula Romero Schmitt’s ceramic sculptures is hand-built, one-of-a-kind, and carries its own sense of personality and character. Inspired by the forms, textures, and structures found in nature and architecture, her work often takes the form of birds or buildings, allowing her to explore the relationship between organic and constructed forms. Her focus is on creating intricate surface textures and emphasizing these details with glaze washes, which highlight the depth and character of each piece.
Niza Knoll Gallery at 915 Santa Fe Drive specializes in intriguing conceptual exhibits featuring work by local and regional artists as well as private concerts, guest speakers and workshops. Regular gallery hours are Thursday – Sunday, 1 – 4 p.m., except for during the following district-wide art walks on First Friday, 5 – 9 p.m., and Third Friday, 5 – 8 p.m. Visit www.nizaknollgallery.com to view and purchase works online and for the most up-to-date calendar of events.
Banner Image: Kristy Melodia, “Aspens.”
