About Us
The Art Center of Northern New Jersey is an Art School and Gallery in New Milford, NJ with a storied legacy of providing arts education to local children and adults at all levels. In a welcoming environment, classes focus on a range of disciplines with an emphasis on engagement and skills-building. The Center aims to be accessible to all, without regard to color, race, creed, disability, or socio-economic status. It seeks to build a strong base of understanding and appreciation for the arts, provide professional-level instruction, and create programming for cultural enrichment and personal growth.
Our mission encompasses the following objectives:
Provide professional instruction in the creative arts.
Sponsor programs for cultural advancement and growth in the arts.
Serve as a focal point for cultural groups by making its facilities and services available to the community.
Offer services to adults, teens and children without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability or economic status.
Strive to become a part of the community in which it is located by participating as much as possible in appropriate local events.
History
Established in Englewood, NJ in 1957 by a group of artists and colleagues, founders shared a commitment to the idea of bringing art training to northern NJ, as well as an understanding of the potential value of an arts-focused cultural institution that New Jersey could call it's own. The coalescing group drew direct inspiration from the work of Victor D'Amico, an American teaching artist and Founding Director of the Department of Education of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. D'Amico's philosophy was based on the fundamental belief in the creative potential in every man, woman and child, and this philosophy became the guiding light at ACNNJ. D'Amico's belief "that the arts are a humanizing force and their major function is to vitalize the living" remains a deeply held principle. In 1955, Tenafly resident Dr. Jules Hoffman petitioned MOMA to survey Northern NJ communities to determine the interest level for a pilot suburban arts program in this vein, and the group embarked on a fund raising campaign to realize their dream. Although not established under the auspices of the museum, community support grew and upon it's inception, ACNNJ quickly became an acclaimed school with classes taught by recognized artists, often from esteemed organizations including the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, The Art Student's League, and more.
By 1970, the Center had moved to Tenafly, where in addition to the expanding course offerings, volunteers organized shows, concerts, and lectures. 1984 brought a move to our permanent home in New Milford where we continue our mission. Here ACNNJ gained a 1,200 sq ft gallery in addition to permanent studios for drawing/painting, stone sculpture, ceramics, and printmaking. This site, a 1895 Colonial Revival/Georgian structure (initially St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church), is noted in the 1985 Bergen County Historic Sites Survey and was recently designated by the borough.
In addition to classes, exhibitions proudly serve NJ artists, including a Bergen County Diversity Show, a Bergen Senior Artists Show and New Milford High School Student exhibitions.
Affiliate Groups
The Art Center is home to four groups of professional artists who meet regularly, exhibit and share information about their various skills. Each group exhibits bi-annually at the Art Center’s Marcia Geltman Gallery, plans additional group shows at various venues in the tri-state area, and invites guest speakers for critiques and lectures.
If you are a practicing artist, we welcome your participation. Please contact the chairperson for each group for more information:
Watercolor Affiliates - Peggy Dressel, pegdartist@aol.com
Sculpture Affiliates - Pam Cooper, pam@pamcooper.com
Painting Affiliates - Herb Stern, hstern1253@gmail.com
Printmaking Affiliates - Tai Hwa Goh - gorewa@hotmail.com