There are lots of ways to get involved at the Art School - we hope you join us!

Join our faculty

To be considered for teaching opportunities, please assemble a packet containing:

A letter of interest (cover letter)
A copy of your resume
An artist statement
Images of your work (please provide your website address or 6-10 jpeg images on CD)
Optional: a self-addressed, stamped envelope (if you would like your slides or CD returned)

and mail it to:
Maria Danziger, Executive Director
The Art School at Old Church
561 Piermont Road
Demarest, NJ 07627

Exhibit your work

Exhibitions are mainly curated by invitation. However, unsolicited materials are reviewed and will be returned with the inclusion of a self-addressed stamped envelope. The gallery does not review artist websites, email attachments or portfolios in the presence of the artist. Please follow the submission guidelines provided here.

Call for entries

The Small Works Show is presented each year in the Mikhail Zakin Gallery. All artists with a past or present connection to New Jersey are invited to submit their work. This juried group exhibition features 2-D and 3-D works that are 18" or under in any dimension.

The juror for 2013 is Rachael Faillace, currently executive director of Rahway Arts District, Inc. and formerly director of the Mikhail Zakin Gallery.

Please click here to view the most recent prospectus. To receive the next prospectus in the mail, please call us at 201-767-7160 and ask to be added to the Small Works list.

Work Exchange Program

Work opportunities are available in exchange for art classes. Please contact our Executive Director Maria Danziger at 201-767-7160 or email maria@tasoc.org for more information.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for individuals who are in need of financial assistance. Please ask at the front desk for more information. Important note: Scholarships are not guaranteed, as they are dependent on available funds and the number of requests we receive. Applications must be received at least 10 days prior to the start of the semester to be considered.

Volunteering

We love our volunteers! Volunteers are an integral part of the community at the Art School, and we are always happy to have their assistance. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available throughout the year for people of all abilities. We can use your help at our famed Annual Pottery Show and Sale, at our thrift shop in Westwood, NJ, and with our children's classes and special projects. Art experience is not necessary, so please consider donating some of your time and energy! For more information, please contact our Executive Director Maria Danziger at 201-767-7160 or maria@tasoc.org.

Internships

Occasionally, internship opportunities for high school or college students are available for community service credit. Please contact Executive Director Maria Danziger at 201-767-7160 or maria@tasoc.org for more information.

The Art School at Old Church does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national/ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships or employment practices.

The Art School at Old Church maintains four studios with professional equipment. Our studios have excellent lighting and are well ventilated and climate controlled. One of the studios is a dedicated ceramics studio.

The following is a list of major equipment and tools that are supplied by the school:

Painting & Sculpture:
Easels
Tabourets
Tables
Well-stocked prop closet

Jewelry:
Soldering equipment
2 rolling mills (sheet and square wire)
Polishing motor
Flexible shaft motors
Sandblaster
Hydraulic press
Hand tools (hammers, pliers, files, saw frames, dapping dies)

A small selection of findings, solder and tools is available for sale through the school.

Flameworking:
10 flameworking torch stations
Chili pepper kiln
Molds
Varied supply of Moretti (Effetre) glass
Spectacles
Hand tools (shaping tools, glass cutting scissors, mashers, tweezers, graphite paddles)

Printmaking:
Charles Brand etching press with 26" x 60" bed
Large and small rollers for relief printing
Ultraviolet light box for creating solar plates
Well-stocked supply of inks for intaglio and relief printing
2 Paula Roland hotboxes

Ceramics:
8 electric wheels
7 kick wheels
4 electric kilns
3 gas-fired kilns
Geil shuttle kiln (54 cubic ft.)
Brick kiln (24 cubic ft.)
Raku kiln
Ventilated glazing spray booth
Slab roller
Bailey wall-mounted clay extruder

The Art School at Old Church's facilities are wheelchair accessible on the main floor, which includes three of our four studios, our restrooms, and both the Mikhail Zakin and Café art galleries.

Experienced, professional artists teach all of our classes. The faculty has a common goal in teaching their craft: to teach the breadth of possibilities within their field. All classes encourage each student to find his/her own creative voice in a supportive environment.

Many of our faculty members are highly accomplished and have exhibited nationally, been published in books and magazines, and won numerous awards. The majority of the instructors have Master's degrees, and all have prior teaching experience. Each faculty member teaches in his or her field of expertise in the following disciplines:

Ceramics
Collage
Cultural offerings
Drawing
Glass
Fiber arts
Jewelry
Mixed media
Painting
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture

Individual faculty biographies are listed with our course descriptions. To view our catalog online, please click on CLASSES & WORKSHOPS and follow the search instructions.

Maria Danziger, Executive Director - maria@tasoc.org
Mary Gagler, Gallery & Special Projects Manager - mgagler@tasoc.org
Eileen MacIntosh, Administrative Assistant & ADA Coordinator - eileen@tasoc.org
John J. McGurk, Gallery Director - gallery@tasoc.org
Melissa Pazcoguin, Administrative Director & New Media Coordinator - melissa@tasoc.org
Amy Dudash Robinson, Assistant Executive Director - amydrob@tasoc.org
Peter Schmidt, Operations Director - peter@tasoc.org
David Shirey, Ceramics Studio Manager & Outreach Coordinator - david@tasoc.org
Erin White, Administrative Assistant - erin@tasoc.org
Vivien Woodford, Thrift Shop Manager - ourthriftshop@tasoc.org

Board of Directors

Edward Whittemore, President
Vivien Woodford, Vice President
Grant Hobson, Treasurer
Marilyn Katz, Secretary
Maureen Lostumbo, Chair

Soyoo Park Caltabiano
Edward Ciccoricco
Amy Heller
Itsuko Ishiguro
Maureen Malovany
Nicole Romano
Judy Schaefer
Anne Connors Winner

Welcome to the website of the Art School at Old Church. For the past thirty-seven years, the Art School has enriched the lives of at least three generations through our educational and cultural offerings, as well as through our gallery exhibitions. We are delighted to see new faces among many familiar ones each semester. Recently, with a grant from the New Jersey Cultural Trust, we have updated (and upgraded) our website. Whether you are well acquainted with the school or visiting our website for the first time, we invite you to explore the site: read about upcoming events, view a course or workshop, or just learn more about what we offer.

Our website is an extension of our wonderful community. Join us at the Art School - find yourself and celebrate the creative spirit through expression in the arts.

1. From the Garden State Parkway or NJ Turnpike: Take Route 80 East (local lanes) to Palisades Parkway North to Exit 2 towards ALPINE/CLOSTER/RT 9W. Take a slight right onto Henry Hudson Drive. Remain on Henry Hudson Drive by turning right again. (Continue from 4 below)

2. From George Washington Bridge: Take Palisades Parkway North to Exit 2 towards ALPINE/CLOSTER/RT 9W. (Continue from 4 below)

3. From NY State Thruway: Take Palisades Parkway South to Exit 2. (Continue from 4 below)

4. Follow the Exit 2 ramp to Route 9W. Turn left onto 9W approximately 1/2 mile. Turn right at the traffic light onto Closter Dock Road, go 1.4 miles (through 1 blinking light, 2 traffic lights) to the traffic light at the bottom of the hill (you'll see an Exxon station on the corner). Turn left onto Piermont Road. The Art School is approximately 1/2 mile down the road on the right side (the white building just after the Demarest Baptist Church).

561 Piermont Road
Demarest, NJ 07627

tel: 201-767-7160
fax: 201-767-0497


Staff
Maria Danziger, Executive Director - maria@tasoc.org
Mary Gagler, Gallery & Special Projects Manager - mgagler@tasoc.org
Eileen MacIntosh, Administrative Assistant & ADA Coordinator - eileen@tasoc.org
John J. McGurk, Gallery Director - gallery@tasoc.org
Melissa Pazcoguin, Administrative Director & New Media Coordinator - melissa@tasoc.org
Amy Dudash Robinson, Assistant Executive Director - amydrob@tasoc.org
Peter Schmidt, Operations Director - peter@tasoc.org
David Shirey, Ceramics Studio Manager & Outreach Coordinator - david@tasoc.org
Erin White, Administrative Assistant - erin@tasoc.org
Vivien Woodford, Thrift Shop Manager - ourthriftshop@tasoc.org

The Art School at Old Church is an art school and fine art gallery in Bergen County, NJ (North Jersey) offering fine art and craft classes for adults, teens, children and families, as well as workshops, art exhibits, outreach programs & much much more! Check out our thrift shop in nearby Westwood, NJ - proceeds from the shop help to support the school.

Download our Summer course catalog here.

Our History

The Art School at Old Church was established in 1974 as a non-profit, nonsectarian cultural resource center. A band of artists and friends seeking to start a community art school saw promise in a local 19th-century church building. Through their hard work and dedication, the group transformed the old church into a center for artistic learning and enrichment. Today, the Art School continues to offer educational and cultural experiences that enrich the quality of life in the local and regional community.

Our Mission

The mission of the Art School at Old Church is to improve the quality of life in the community and region through educational and cultural offerings.

The Art School at Old Church does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national/ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships or employment practices.

The Art School at Old Church is a non-profit, non-sectarian 501(c)(3) organization.