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One River School - Allendale

Transforming Art Education

One River School has one mission: to transform art education.

“Our curriculum never repeats, but we have lots of repeat students,” says Director Corianne Darienzo. “We have students who started with us in 2017 and are still here, five years later.” She attributes this to One River’s dynamic atmosphere that fosters continual learning and growth. “I’ve had parents tell me this is the only activity their kid sticks with!”

Since its opening in Allendale in 2017, One River School has provided far more than fine art instruction to the surrounding community. Through the school’s classes, exhibitions, and summer camps, One River has become a local gathering space and outlet for creative expression. “Our classes are therapeutic, especially for the adult students,” Darienzo says. “It’s a free space to let your mind go.” 

One River offers art classes for students ranging from Pre-K to adults. For the youngest students, it’s a hands-on introduction to creating art in a variety of media. For tweens and teens, courses spark inspiration and encourage students to push the boundaries of their artistic comfort zones. While One River offers art instruction all year, summer camps are the most popular choice for kids and teens. Each week-long camp session has a distinct theme and during that session, students create art incorporating that theme. 

Teens who are planning on pursuing fine art in college can also take portfolio development courses where One River instructors, professional artists working in their chosen fields, provide constructive feedback and guidance that enables students to optimize their portfolios and become stronger applicants. In the past five years, One River students have been accepted to RISD, SCAD, SVA, and other selective art colleges. 

For adults, classes at One River are a lot of things. They’re a place to explore new media and techniques. They’re a space to meet other artists and collaborate. And for a lot of adult students, they’re an opportunity to get back into hobbies they once loved and might have lost touch with. 

Unlike many traditional art programs, all of One River’s courses are based on contemporary artists. A few recently featured artists include Osamu Kobayashi, JJ Manford, and Michael Berryhill. 

Each five-week course begins with a history lesson about the featured artist, then dives into hands-on projects incorporating the media and techniques for which that artist is best known. Classes and workshops strongly emphasize specific techniques associated with the focus artist, adding new skills to students’ creative toolkits they can use in future works. Featured artists’ work is also exhibited in One River’s gallery space, giving students and visitors the opportunity to learn more about the artist and their work. 

All of One River’s instructors are professional artists who bring years of experience and insight into the studio. They work closely with the internal education department to write course curricula that both supports and challenges every student. 

“It’s a great release for students,” Darienzo says. “Our classes and workshops are a safe place for the kids to express themselves.”

Outside One River’s class schedule, the school hosts local artists for lectures and discussions. These include lectures featuring art professors from local schools and colleges. For One River, featuring local artists and professors is a key part of community engagement—and that includes featuring local student artists. One recent exhibition featured artwork by Paramus High School’s AP art students, and twice each year, One River hosts a student show featuring works by their own students. 

Whether you’re looking to sharpen your design skills, try something new, introduce your child to the visual arts, or host an event, One River School has all your art-related needs covered.

allendale.oneriverschool.com

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