GARNER Arts Center Presents Arden Klemmer and Paul Christopher Conticelli

GARNERVILLE – Hope rises from despair in new GARNER Arts Center Exhibition by Arden Klemmer and Paul Christopher Conticelli.

GARNER Arts Center is proud to present Gonna Build a Heaven From a Little Hell, a multidisciplinary exhibition by GARNER Historic District resident artist Arden Klemmer and member artist Paul Christopher Conticelli, on view this summer in the Ned Harris Gallery at Building 35.

With Gonna Build a Heaven From a Little Hell, Arden Klemmer and Paul Christopher Conticelli envision a future of hope rising above despair, beauty overtaking destruction, and liberation born from entrapment.

Thematically, the exhibition grapples with juxtaposing natural and artificial visions of the world, from dystopia to utopia. The exhibition encompasses a range of mediums, including realist botanical painting, gestural abstraction, collage, sound, interactive elements, and text-based work. Together, these forms create a layered experience that invites viewers to reflect on the tensions between destruction and renewal—within society, nature, and ourselves.

Gonna Build a Heaven from a Little Hell is timely in its message of hope, responsibility, and resilience. It aligns with GARNER Arts Center’s commitment to fostering artistic ideas that emerge as a response to societal and environmental influences.

The exhibition was selected from an open call for GARNER Arts Center’s inaugural Juried Tenant Exhibition. “With so much talent and creativity surrounding us, the idea to open our gallery even more so to the GARNER tenant community came naturally,” says Heffler, “We found Arden and Paul’s proposal to be confident, imaginative, and soulful, showing excellent potential for a striking exhibition.” The selection was conducted by GARNER’s exhibition committee, co-chaired by resident studio artist and board member James Tyler, along with Director of Programs and Operations Jesse Heffler. Fellow voting committee members include curators and resident studio artists Brett DePalma and Joe Fusaro, as well as artist Bel Falleiros.

A separate jury-selected exhibition of works, “Lucretius” by GARNER tenant artist Gordon Fearey, will run concurrently with this exhibition in Building 35’s Main Gallery. Both will run during “Upstate Art Weekend,” July 17 – 21.

You’re invited:

School and community groups are invited to schedule a special tour of the exhibition with the artist or curator. Please call Jesse Heffler at (845) 947-7108 for more information.

Pictured (L to R):
Thank You Thank You Thank You, Arden Klemmer, 2025
Rize From Ruin, Paul Christopher Conticelli, 2025Painting the Roses Red, Arden Klemmer, 2025

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ARDEN KLEMMER & PAUL CHRISTOPHER CONTICELLI

Gonna Build a Heaven from a Little Hell

Exhibition Run: June 28 – August 3
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 28, 5-7PM

Gallery Hours: Fridays, 2-5PM, Saturdays and Sundays 1-5PM

WHERE: The Ned Harris Gallery at Building 35, GARNER Arts Center
ADDRESS: GARNER Historic District, 55 West Railroad Avenue, Garnerville, NY 10923

CONTACT: Jesse Heffler, Programs & Operations Director, (845) 947-7108;  [email protected]

FOR APPOINTMENTS: (845) 947-7108 / [email protected]
https://garnerartscenter.org/exhibitions

For High-Resolution images and further information, please contact:
Jesse Heffler, Programs & Operations Director, (845) 947-7108; [email protected]

About GARNER Arts Center:

Mission
GARNER Arts Center is an interdisciplinary arts center that advances the creation and presentation of contemporary, experiential art within a repurposed 19th-century textile mill complex. By providing access to a wide range of art forms, the organization strives to enrich, educate, and connect diverse audiences. GARNER Arts Center is committed to igniting and realizing artistic ideas that emerge as a response to societal, economic, historic and environmental stimuli.

Vision
GARNER Arts Center’s vision is an enduring and inclusive artisan settlement that fosters a thriving arts, business, and cultural district, and encourages collaboration between makers and the creative sector. GARNER seeks to be a catalyst for just and sustainable economic growth in its Hudson Valley host community.

GARNER Arts Center is a tax-deductible 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

GARNER Arts Center – Social Media:
Facebook & Instagram: @garnerartscenter

FOR PRESS:
Support for GARNER Arts Center is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, Rockland County Tourism, The Village of West Haverstraw, The Town of Haverstraw, the GARNER Historic District, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.