Week 1: Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Learn more about science and nature at OLANA! Get inspired by artist Frederic Church’s own passion for the natural world with hikes, science experiments, and observational studies and sketches in the landscape. You will discover Olana’s 250-acre artist-designed landscape and learn all about habitats, animals, and ecosystems. Get to know the creatures of Olana by observing insects in the meadow, watching frogs and snails in the lake, and keeping an eye out for the birds and mammals that call the site home in addition to visiting the inside of Olana’s historic house.
Week 2: Monday, July 20– Friday, July 24 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Explore Olana through the lens of Church’s global travels, learning more about the range of cultures, countries, and artwork that inspired the artist. Learn more about the places Church and his family traveled in South America, the Middle East, and Central America through artmaking prompts, fun games, and by looking closely at Olana’s collection of art and objects. Make your own artist maps and unique scrapbooks to document fun discoveries throughout the week. Connect with new friends and the special Hudson Valley landscape during outdoor games and on sketching hikes. This week will include a special historic house visit focused on Olana’s global collections!
Week 3: Monday, July 27 – Friday, July 31 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sketch, snip, and splatter with paint, collage, or charcoal during this art-filled week! Find artistic inspiration and make new friends as you spend time sketching at the tops of Olana’s hills, painting next to the pond, and creating collaborative artworks. Teaching artists and museum educators will help you discover your own artistic talents by experimenting with professional art materials like canvas, charcoal, acrylic paint, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the historic house during this special art-focused week!
Week 4: Monday, August 3 – Friday, August 7 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Create your own works of art in not one, not two, but THREE dimensions during this exciting fun-filled week! In this 3D art-focused week you will create your own sculptures, build your own architectural works, and dive into artistic traditions from around the world. Taught by local teaching artists and educators, you will learn to use professional art materials like clay, wire, papier mâché and more! Get inspired by Frederic Church’s works of art, historic house, and collections from around the world by playing games to get you thinking like an artist.
Week 5: Monday, August 10 – Friday, August 14 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Dive into Olana’s ecology during this nature-filled week at OLANA! Become an expert naturalist by learning more about Olana's man-made lake, meadows, and forests. You’ll get to know the landscape through hikes, visits with special guests, and activities designed to teach you more about the Hudson Valley’s habitats and ecosystems. In addition to nature-themed games and projects, this week will also include an animal-focused visit to the main house, oriented around the objects in Church’s collection that relate to the natural world.
