2026 is the bicentennial of the birth of Frederic Church (1826-1900), America’s foremost landscape artist. Sean Sawyer, President of The Olana Partnership, will examine Church’s 40 year-long project of creating Olana, his 250-acre masterwork of American landscape design overlooking the Hudson River in Hudson, NY. Sawyer will detail how Church acted as his own architect, landscape architect, and interior designer, while drawing upon the most advanced thinking in design and environmental conservation.
Sawyer will discuss Church’s close collaboration with Calvert Vaux on elements of Olana, particularly the eccentric hilltop villa inspired by his global travels and collecting. Sawyer will share the progress in the ongoing restoration of Olana’s landscape and its interpretation as a National Historic Landmark at the intersection of art and landscape. This talk coincides with the publication of Olana: Frederic Church’s Vision of Art and Landscape (Rizzoli Electra), featuring essays by Barry Bergdoll, Sean Sawyer, and Thomas Woltz.
The Olana Partnership (TOP) is the non-profit partner of New York State Parks at Olana State Historic Site. TOP’s mission is to restore and enhance Frederic Church’s Olana, elevate its significance, and welcome diverse, contemporary audiences for learning and enjoyment.
Sean Sawyer, Ph.D., has been Washburn & Susan Oberwager President of The Olana Partnership, since May 2015. He received a B.A. summa cum laude in Art History & Archaeology from Princeton University in 1988 and his Ph.D. in Architectural History from Columbia University in 1999. Prior to joining Olana, Sean was the Executive Director of The Royal Oak Foundation, the American partner of the National Trust of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.