The duCret School of Art has a long reputable history. Artist and teacher Marjorie Van Emburgh founded the School in 1926. Its aim, then, was to create an institution where students could obtain an art education comparable with that found in schools and academies in major cultural centers. In the early part of the twentieth century Plainfield was a bustling cultural center and provided Ms. Van Emburgh the perfect location to start a high quality art school. Because of its location students were able to receive an excellent education without the added expense of moving or commuting into Manhattan or Philadelphia.
In the early thirties, in keeping with its mission of providing a high quality art education, the School’s teaching staff included such prominent artists as Jonas Lie, N.A., John Carlson, N.A., Yasno Kuniyoshi and William Zorach. By 1936 the School had outgrown its original quarters and obtained space in the Babcock Building, located in the center of the Plainfield business district.
Over the next two decades, the school continued to grow and build a reputation for excellence in art education. In 1964, the Van Emburgh School of Art was acquired by Dudley V. duCret and became the Van Emburgh/duCret School of Fine and Industrial Art, a privately owned institution. Ms. Van Emburgh remained a faculty member until 1975. The school continued its tradition of excellence and marked steady growth.
In 1970, the school officially became a private, non-profit corporation under the name “The duCret School of the Arts Inc.” That year, Philadelphia sculptor, Boris Blai, and nationally known portrait artist, Furman Finck, joined the faculty.
Seven years later the school moved to its present location at 1030 Central Avenue in a historic section of Plainfield. The school is now situated on a seven-acre campus in a wooded residential area. In 1980, the School sponsored its first annual New Jersey High School Student Art Show. The objective of this exhibit was to showcase the work of New Jersey’s talented high school students. Over the past 20-plus years the duCret School has exhibited the art of over 7,000 students representing 125 New Jersey high schools. During the 1980′s, the school continued to develop a reputation for providing quality art education and community service. As the school grew, the need for quality educators increased, notable artist and teacher Frank Falotico acquired the role of Director. The Faculty was complemented with nationally known illustrator Peter Caras, whose expert guidance has produced countless commercial illustrators, most notably Vince Natale.
In the 1990’s, duCret’s faculty included prominent artist such as J. Brian Townsend, Paul W. McCormack and Vince Natale among others.
Today duCret continues its long tradition of providing quality art education and is excited about adding Academy duCret as another chapter in its long history. The Academy Is designed for serious students who want to immerse themselves in the study and pursuit of excellence in oil painting.In the 1990′s the School added Computer Graphics to its program, incorporating this new technology into the curriculum. Although its mission to teach the basic principles of art has remained constant, the computer has had a tremendous impact on art education.
The programs of the School are under constant reassessment by the administration, the teaching staff of working professionals, the Board of Trustees, and outside advisors.
The duCret School of Art continually evaluates all aspects of its programs, and updates equipment and courses to meet student needs.
