The Art School at Old Church

At a converted old church in Demarest, New Jersey, a community of artists will pay tribute to their founder, artist Mikhail Zakin, with a month-long exhibit of her work. Zakin, who passed away in September of 2012 at the age of 92, established the Old Church Cultural Center in 1974 with the idea of bringing the arts into the community. A professor of art, she taught ceramics at the Brooklyn Academy of Art and at Sarah Lawrence College. Driven by her conviction that the arts should have a local focus, she sought out a vacant church outside the city and worked with the community to establish an art center and school. Today, The Art School at Old Church carries on its 39-year-old mission of providing educational and cultural experiences that enrich the quality of life in the local and regional community.

Old Church Executive Director, Maria Danziger recalls the many stories told by Zakin about the early days of the center: "Mikhail negotiated with the owners of the church to get the space, but the building needed a great deal of work. She started on the outside, to create interest in the community. Soon, local tradesmen would come by, offering their services!" From its earliest day, the art center has been a collaborative project between artists and the community. Danziger, whose professional background is in government social programs, primarily for women and children, brings a sense of community responsibility to her work as Executive Director. She says, "I am very proud of our scholarship policy and our work exchange program." Any student can ask for scholarship assistance and will receive some portion of available funds for the semester. The amount varies, depending on how many ask, but some assistance will be given." The work exchange program allows a student to swap volunteer time for class tuition. Work exchange students mix glazes, greet the public at the main desk after office hours, make coffee, assist in firing kilns – any and every task that keeps the school running. Danziger points out how a sense of community develops from this shared involvement and responsibility.

One work exchange student, David Shirey, embraced the Old Church community and eventually became the Manager of the Ceramic Studio. About a decade ago, Shirey was a businessman who was looking to rekindle a love of ceramics. He recalls, "While I was earning my business degree at William Paterson University, I took ceramic classes because I enjoyed it. About nine years ago, I walked into the Art School at Old Church to take a class." He took advantage of the work exchange program, learning how to mix glazes and fire the kilns. Soon he was working part-time as an instructor and eventually took the position as manager of the ceramics program. He oversees the ceramics studio, which has ten electric wheels and five kick wheels, fires three clay bodies, and offers over 70 glazes.

Ceramics is only part of the offerings at the school. Over 700 students each semester take courses in painting, sculpture, jewelry making, printmaking, flame work, fiber arts, photography, and ceramics. Danziger says, "Every three hours, the studios convert into something else. This is a very busy place. We even have a printing press in the kitchen." The old church building contains four studios, with the ceramics studio being the only one dedicated to one medium. The other three spaces contain an impressive collection of equipment for a variety of media, brought into service according to the class at hand. Classes are offered year-round, on a four-semester schedule, both during the day and in the evenings. School children can take classes Mondays through Thursdays after school, and clay is a popular choice. Wheel throwing is offered for teenagers. Shirey says that many of his adult students have been coming for classes long before he did. "We do get a lot of repeat students," he says, "which really adds to the sense of community here." Shirey oversees special workshops throughout the year, such as raku firing Sundays and multi-day workshops with visiting artists.

As Executive Director, Danziger works hard to carry on the founding philosophy of Mikhail Zakin through community outreach programs. She states, "I believe very strongly that non-profits must generate income outside of membership and support." With her background in child services, she looked for ways to serve the community while supporting the school’s programs. "I had some experience with thrift shops and thought that would be a great idea. I shared my idea with one of our board members, who mentioned that a local hospital thrift store was closing," she recalls. She outlined her plan in a proposal to the board. For the past six years, "Our Thrift Shop" has expanded the activities of Old Church into the community. The venture absorbed the previous shop volunteers while adding volunteer artists from the school. Danziger says that there is a synergy between the old volunteers and the new, making the venture truly, "Our" thrift shop. The funds are used to support the scholarship program, purchase needed supplies and maintenance for the school, and to offer programs for the community. One such program recently provided ceramic classes for girls in a local group home.

According to Danziger, Mikhail Zakin always said, "You don’t necessarily need to have a degree to teach the arts." The staff and artists at the Art School at Old Church draw from varied backgrounds, but each shares a commitment to creating a community centered in the enrichment of the arts. Like Zakin, who continued to teach at the school until her death, Old Church community members allow their art to infuse their lives and the lives of those they meet. As the community joins to remember and celebrate Zakin this month, her memory will inspire them to continue to create together.

Mikhail Zakin’s
Journey in Clay:
A Retrospective Show & Sale

May 4 - June 4, 2013

Mikhail Zakin Gallery
The Art School at Old Church
Opening Reception: May 4, 3-6pm

561 Piermont Road Demarest, New Jersey 07627
For more information, visit www.tasoc.org,
or call 201.767.7160