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
A portfolio of your work (6-10 images on slides or CD)
An artist statement
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.

The Art School at Old Church maintains four studios with professional-grade 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
Chile pepper kiln
Molds
Varied supply of Moretti (Effetre) glass
Spectacles
Hand tools (shaping tools, glass cutting scissors, mashers, tweezers, graphite paddles)

Printmaking:

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 & Painting
Glass
Fiber arts
Jewelry
Mixed media
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, Executive Assistant & Assistant Gallery Director - 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
Peter Schmidt, Operations Director - peter@tasoc.org
Karen Shalom, Administrative Director & Programming Coordinator - karen@tasoc.org
David Shirey, Ceramics Studio Manager & Outreach Coordinator - david@tasoc.org
Vivien Woodford, Thrift Shop Manager - ourthriftshop@tasoc.org

Board of Directors

Soyoo Park Caltabiano
Ina Chapler
Edward Ciccoricco
Betsy Gelb
Itsuko Ishiguro
Marilyn Katz
Maureen Lostumbo
Maureen Malovany

Welcome to the website of the Art School at Old Church. For the past thirty-five 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. This season, 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 Assistant/Executive Assistant - mgagler@tasoc.org
Eileen MacIntosh, Administrative Assistant - eileen@tasoc.org
John J. McGurk, Gallery Director - gallery@tasoc.org
Melissa Pazcoguin, Administrative Director & New Media - melissa@tasoc.org
Peter Schmidt, Operations Director - peter@tasoc.org
Karen Shalom, Administrative Director & Programming - karen@tasoc.org
David Shirey, Ceramics Studio Manager - david@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 art classes, craft classes, workshops, children's classes, art exhibits & more.

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 the ruined structure of a 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.