Ridgewood Unveils New Bergen County History and Cultural Center at Historic Zabriskie House
photos courtesy of the Village Manager Keith Kazmark
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The highly anticipated transformation of a local historic landmark has taken a major step forward. According to the Ridgewood Village Manager, community leaders and local organizations recently gathered for an exclusive “sneak peek” open tour of the brand-new Bergen County History and Cultural Center.
Located at the landmark John A.L. Zabriskie House on the Schedler property, this newly developed center is poised to become a vibrant hub for heritage preservation, education, and the fine arts in North Jersey.
A Collaborative Community Vision
The preview event welcomed Village officials alongside key community partners who will help shape the center’s future programming, including:
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The Ridgewood Public Library / Bolger Heritage Center
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The Ridgewood Historical Society
This collaborative effort ensures that the rich history of Bergen County is not only preserved but actively celebrated through interactive educational community initiatives. Formal programming at the center is officially scheduled to begin later this summer.
Local Artist Spotlight: Meet Susan Zulauf
The inaugural tour highlighted the center’s commitment to supporting the regional arts community by proudly featuring the captivating work of acclaimed local artist Susan Zulauf.
For those familiar with the Ridgewood arts scene, Zulauf is a foundational figure. For 15 years, she co-owned three prominent craft galleries right here in Ridgewood: Horsefeathers, JUNK, and Collage, all while managing her own commercial studio, Zulauf Designs.
From Commercial Design to Fine Art Mastery
Zulauf’s artistic journey is as versatile as it is accomplished:
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Early Career: After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), she began her career as a Line Designer for Hallmark Cards before ascending to Creative Vice President at The Stephen Lawrence Co.
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Global Reach: Through Zulauf Designs, she successfully licensed her decorative and surface art worldwide to major manufacturers and global retailers.
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The Shift to Fine Art: In recent years, Zulauf transitioned her creative energy entirely into fine art, working out of North Jersey.
Signature Style & Technique
Zulauf describes her shift to fine art as a journey of “pure joy.” Her work is widely celebrated for its striking texture and multi-dimensional depth. She masterfully navigates two distinct styles:
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Textural Impressionism: Captivating landscapes and nature scenes created by layering paints, papers, stencils, stuccos, and gold leaf on stretched canvas, reflecting an almost Fauvist use of bold color.
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Super Realism: Intricate wildlife portraits executed with meticulous mixed-media techniques.
“Beautiful textures appear in nature,” says Zulauf regarding her creative process. “A voluminous cloud, fields bent by the wind, the texture of a leaf, all add to the layers of nature’s beauty I try to create.”
Her inclusion in the center’s opening preview sets a sophisticated benchmark for the caliber of cultural and artistic exhibitions residents can look forward to this summer.
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Loathsome.
This is hilarious.
Pam found her hat!
“Formal programming at the center is officially scheduled to begin later this summer.”
Sure it will.
Just like the cleanup was going to be completed by the end of the school year.
A house with no purpose, so they went out and found one.
KK on the job!
Every time I see vag’s face I get sick!