May 16 - June 28, 2026
Opening Reception:
Saturday, May 16th
5 - 7pm
THOSE WHO CAN
Curated by Joe Fusaro
Eat Nobody Last, Peter Tresnan
GARNER Art Center is pleased to host its first national exhibition of artist-educators from across the United States and Canada. This gathering of 29 talented artists who teach students of all ages is an opportunity to see art educators as professional artists with practices that extend beyond their teaching and often inform it.
This exhibition will include artists such as Yi Coy Gu, who centers his Chinese immigrant experience as an entry point into exploring contemporary American society, and collaborative art makers such as Whoop Dee Doo, who create performances and inspire meaningful conversations that bring communities together.
Artists such as Marie Elcin utilize plein air painting as a way to be outdoors more often, focus on observation, and find good reasons to travel beyond her hometown of Philadelphia. In contrast, artists such as Shelby Smith focus on more formal qualities and constructions, using non-traditional approaches to sculpture, such as wire dipped in Porcelain clay.
Artists featured in THOSE WHO CAN include: Mary Boo Anderson (CA), Nathan Asplund (CA), Jeannine Bardo (NY), Marie Elcin (PA), Gregg Emery (NY), Alicia Gifford (FL), Mary Goldthwaite (NH), Dennis Greenwell (WA), Yi Coy Gu (PA), Dana Joy Helwick (NY), Jeanne Hoel (CA), Sarah Kolker (PA), Andrea Mancuso/virocode (NY), Jennie Maydew (IL), Danielle McDonald (NY), Alex Mendez (IL), Ariana Mygatt (MD), Hugo Rojas (NY), Jocelyn Salaz (NM), Robb Sandagata (MA), Nikki Sandschaper (NY), Julia Soderholm (CAN), Shelby Smith (HI), Sean Sweeney (CT), Ty Talbot (WA), Jack Watson (NC), Catherine Walker (LA), and Whoop Dee Doo (USA).
The stories and fascinating details about each artist in the exhibition are collected in the THOSE WHO CAN exhibition catalogue, designed by Reid Parsekian, and available at the gallery or by ordering a copy during the course of the show.
For advance copies, please email joe@garnerartscenter.org
THOSE WHO CAN will open during the 25th Anniversary of the GARNER Arts Festival, an extraordinary, multi-sensory arts and cultural destination in the lower Hudson Valley featuring immersive art experiences on a landmark pre-Civil War textile factory complex turned arts & artisan campus. This beloved, family-friendly festival celebrates creativity in all its forms and will feature numerous attractions over the weekend, including children’s activities, live music, local food vendors, and more! Come for the festival beginning at 11am on Saturday, May 16, and then attend the opening reception from 5-7pm to talk with many of the artists exhibiting!
