Light up a life. Give a gift of art.

That is the mission printed on the window of the Studios on High gallery, which has been a cornerstone of the Short North District since 1986. The gallery features the work of 17 local artists, including the manager of the gallery, Judy Hoberg, and others such as Rachel and Ken Conner, Helen Neumann, Denise Romecki, Sandy Reddig and Marcia Snedecor.

“The Art of Giving: Small Treasures for Holiday Gifting” has been held at the gallery at the end of every year since the gallery opened. Studios on High presents gift ideas that include oil paintings, ceramics, glass and jewelry, just for starters.

Rachel and Ken Conner were at the gallery on the first day of the exhibition.

“The reason our gallery decided to do this exhibition is because sometimes people are not sure what will fit into [a] space when giving gifts” said Rachel Conner, a jewelry designer for the gallery. She said that she hoped the gallery would let people see how well the affordable gifts on display would fit into their own personal spaces.

“Our work combines our love for nature and the simple elegant lines we find there,” the Conners said on their Web site.

Rachel and Ken Conner have been designing jewelry since 1972. Each piece they create is their own design, refined and handcrafted one at a time. The quality is apparent in the rich color of their gems, according to their Web site.

Hoberg, one of the first artists to participate and Studios on High founder, contributed her work from her Feats of Clay studio to this exhibition.

“Those high-fire clay [sculputures] can be left outdoors; they’re weather proofed,” Rachel Conner said.

Although she enjoys all forms of art, Hoberg found her niche when she started working with clay. In her studio she largely produces moderately sized clay creatures, imitating animals in cute and creative ways.

“The warm color and texture of the high-fired stoneware with which I work lends itself to imitating the joy of nature,” Hoberg wrote on her Web site. “In my caricatures [of animals], I celebrate this fascinating connection among all living things.”

“The small oil paintings are just as lovely as bigger pieces, with affordable prices,” Rachel Conner said, indicating some of Snedecor’s paintings. “Snedecor’s work has won many awards and [has] been widely published in books, magazine and [on] CD covers.

“One thing special about our gallery is it is an artist-owned and -operated gallery. It is also a working gallery where artists come here to work, bringing their paints. Our artists are teachers or professional artists. Some of them are award winners.”

Sandy Reddig is one of those artists who focused on portraits of adults, children, pets, houses and boats. Reddig’s works hang in many private and public collections, including the Columbus Metro Library.

Some other gifts featured include color-pencil drawings, glass mosaics, watercolor paintings and hand-knit objects.

The exhibition runs until Dec. 30. The artist’s reception is 1 p.m. Sunday at Studios on High Gallery at 686 N.High St.