Tucked away in the back of a church, art flourishes

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Artists painting under the radar? Who knew there was an open artists studio in Bloomfield at the Brookdale Reformed Church every Tuesday morning? There is and has been for about 20 years. It is an easy-going environment, according to the man who oversees it, Belleville resident and former commercial artist Richard Toglia.

An exhibition at the Montclair Public Library is currently displaying the works of artists working at the church studio. Toglia was interviewed at the exhibit and said the studio was the idea of the Rev. Tom Comella who was an artist.

“He asked me to do a laid-back arts class,” Toglia said. “He was in the class and so were two parishioners. That was three reverends ago.”
Toglia said the studio is not a “how to paint” place. It began as an outreach program.

“It’s more encouraging,” he said. “Sometimes I have three students, sometimes nine and sometimes it’s almost empty. During the winter, I persevere.”

For the studio, a large room located in the rear of the church is used. The artists include two psychologists and two art teachers.
People find out about the studio from word-of-mouth or an art show. The MPL exhibit is an annual showing for the Brookdale Church artists. Toglia said he does not even introduce himself to the students.

“Once we know you, you can come anytime at all,” he said. “It’s not often that strangers come in. “No models, ever.”
But Toglia says he is not a teacher.

“What I am is a troubleshooter if someone has a problem with color mixing or composition,” he said. “We talk the whole time. People are critiquing each other’s work. There’s nothing formal. It’s a real free-for-all.”

Artists work from photographs or their imaginations. All two-dimensional media is used. One time, 10 people worked on the same collage.
“It took us months to do it,” Toglia said. “We called it ‘Town and Country.’ We did that when we first started.”

Toglia has worked as an illustrator for Fairchild and Hearst publications and drew for Macy’s. He attended the highly regarded Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, and Pratt. While he may have once worked on deadline, when creating for himself, he might work on something for a stretch.

“I sometimes put paintings away for years,” he said. “I don’t consider them done until someone buys them.”
Toglia always puts something into his paintings that is unrecognizable. He said this fascinates him.

The Brookdale Reformed Church is located at 10 Bellevue Ave. The open studio convenes every Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you should care to attend, a fee can be discussed with Toglia.

“Bring lunch,” he said.
The MPL exhibition runs until the end of this month.

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