Olana, near and far
Posted: September 5, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized 2 CommentsThe best viewpoint to draw Olana (historic home and property of Frederic Church) is from below. That was what we did last year when I brought my workshop group there and that is what we did again last week. The house is situated on the highest point of land on the 250 acre site, and when you approach from the parking area you only see parts of the house. But walk down a slight incline to a flat plateau, turn around, and you get a view of the historic home and museum in all its Persian-inspired glory. It’s especially beautiful on a clear day when the morning sun lights the fanciful brickwork and decorative tiling.
Last year we visited in September when the “The Mingled Garden” was past its prime, but this year there were still lots of flowers to in bloom. If you are a fan of Frederic Church, this year is the 200th anniversary of his birth. Here’s a full list of upcoming events and exhibitions.
These are lovely! I especially like the use of the colored ink linework, it adds that “fall” feeling to the pictures (even if I’m not ready for fall yet!)
I had to look up where this is located. Lovely paintings. Wish I could travel like you do. I recently found a sketch book I did in Maine when I firsr found your blog and learned about urban sketching. Thanks for all you taught me.