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Olana Wagon House turns one
  
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By Francesca Olsen
The Olana Partnership’s Wagon House Education Center has passed it’s one year anniversary, and public participation, as well as what programs are available, have swelled since the center’s doors officially opened.
Education Coordinator Cheryl O’ Donnell and Carri Manchester, head of education, have worked together to expand programs and increase awareness and accessibility, and so far, their efforts are fruitful: 30 programs have been added in the past year.
“The partnership really wanted the space to come alive, so I really went with it,” said O’Donnell. “We want Olana to be for everybody.”
Programs range from Art In The Barn, a free program for children age three to five and their parents, that involves open studio time, music, storytelling, and a movement class, to an all-ages program called Olana on the Move Backpacks. Children (and anyone else) sign out a backpack with items related to the scenery and works of Frederic Church that acts as an interactive tour of the site. There’s a Teen Art Advisory for teenagers 13 and up, which provides art supplies and a forum for feedback, and a Visual Arts Workshop for ages 50 and up.
“We really wanted to make it more accessible for the families,” said O’Donnell. She is trying to encourage people to learn about Frederic Church “in different ways, instead of just the house...You really want to grab onto things they’re excited about.”
Looking at Olana’s landscape as a 3-D work of art is one way to draw them in. Children learn about how Church studied the details of nature and then made sketches of them as preliminary work.
“We want the kids to learn that Frederic Church was not only an artist, but through his art, showed his reverence for nature,” O’Donnell said. She attempts to get children to make personal and social associations with the landscape, with the layout of Olana, and with nature itself.
“I leave every day feeling very happy. There’s a lot of joy in this space,” O’Donnell said. She said children “are always very inspired by the landscape, and learning art as a process -- it just makes you want to do more here.”
Some programs have fostered community at the Wagon House, especially Art in the Barn, which gets a lot of repeat customers. Some families bring their children every weekend -- since the Wagon House opened, the program has had 500 participants. Backpacks on the Move has had around 400.
“We have a lot of ‘a-ha’ moments with little kids here,” O’Donnell said. She mentioned the culmination day for The Journey, Olana’s long running summer camp program. “They are so proud of the knowledge that they have,” she said. “They explore different parts of their mind...Its just nice to offer that and have a really welcoming place.”
There is free transportation to Olana for those who want to see the site and check out the Wagon House. “We haven’t had a lot of people do it,” O’Donnell said. Pickups are done at the Hudson Library and the Catskill Community Center.
“Although our numbers are so high, I think there’s still people we’re not reaching out to,” said O’Donnell.
The Wagon House is built on the foundation of Frederic Church’s own wagon house, and the outside of the building is modeled exactly as its predecessor was. The inside of the center is open, with wide windows looking out onto the landscape, but the outside of the building remains historically significant.
For more information about Olana’s free educational programs, visit www.olana.org or call 828-1872.
Education Coordinator Cheryl O’ Donnell and Carri Manchester, head of education, have worked together to expand programs and increase awareness and accessibility, and so far, their efforts are fruitful: 30 programs have been added in the past year.
“The partnership really wanted the space to come alive, so I really went with it,” said O’Donnell. “We want Olana to be for everybody.”
Programs range from Art In The Barn, a free program for children age three to five and their parents, that involves open studio time, music, storytelling, and a movement class, to an all-ages program called Olana on the Move Backpacks. Children (and anyone else) sign out a backpack with items related to the scenery and works of Frederic Church that acts as an interactive tour of the site. There’s a Teen Art Advisory for teenagers 13 and up, which provides art supplies and a forum for feedback, and a Visual Arts Workshop for ages 50 and up.
“We really wanted to make it more accessible for the families,” said O’Donnell. She is trying to encourage people to learn about Frederic Church “in different ways, instead of just the house...You really want to grab onto things they’re excited about.”
Looking at Olana’s landscape as a 3-D work of art is one way to draw them in. Children learn about how Church studied the details of nature and then made sketches of them as preliminary work.
“We want the kids to learn that Frederic Church was not only an artist, but through his art, showed his reverence for nature,” O’Donnell said. She attempts to get children to make personal and social associations with the landscape, with the layout of Olana, and with nature itself.
“I leave every day feeling very happy. There’s a lot of joy in this space,” O’Donnell said. She said children “are always very inspired by the landscape, and learning art as a process -- it just makes you want to do more here.”
Some programs have fostered community at the Wagon House, especially Art in the Barn, which gets a lot of repeat customers. Some families bring their children every weekend -- since the Wagon House opened, the program has had 500 participants. Backpacks on the Move has had around 400.
“We have a lot of ‘a-ha’ moments with little kids here,” O’Donnell said. She mentioned the culmination day for The Journey, Olana’s long running summer camp program. “They are so proud of the knowledge that they have,” she said. “They explore different parts of their mind...Its just nice to offer that and have a really welcoming place.”
There is free transportation to Olana for those who want to see the site and check out the Wagon House. “We haven’t had a lot of people do it,” O’Donnell said. Pickups are done at the Hudson Library and the Catskill Community Center.
“Although our numbers are so high, I think there’s still people we’re not reaching out to,” said O’Donnell.
The Wagon House is built on the foundation of Frederic Church’s own wagon house, and the outside of the building is modeled exactly as its predecessor was. The inside of the center is open, with wide windows looking out onto the landscape, but the outside of the building remains historically significant.
For more information about Olana’s free educational programs, visit www.olana.org or call 828-1872.
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