Fern Apfel: ‘Letters Home’ at Troutbeck
“A Magician Tells His Secrets” by Fern Apfel.
Photo by Jeff Barnett-Winsby
“Minor Scales” by Fern Apfel.Photo by Jeff Barnett-Winsby
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Olana State Historic Site, the hilltop home created by 19th-century Hudson River School painter Frederic Edwin Church, rises above the Hudson River on a clear winter afternoon.
By Brian Gersten
2026 marks the 200th anniversary of Church’s birth, making this a particularly timely moment to take in what he created during his lifetime. Church — one of the most notable artists of the Hudson River School movement — was an accomplished landscape painter who gained a reputation as an artist-traveler.
From South America and Western Europe to the Middle East and the Caribbean, Church sought out dramatic, epic scenes that he could capture on canvas and bring back to the U.S. to sell. The profits from those works, in turn, allowed him to create a breathtaking masterwork of his own: Olana.
Olana rises above the Hudson River like a mirage, its Persian-inspired facade an unexpected sight amid the barren winter landscape. With miles of trails, visitors can take in the natural splendor of rolling hills and the river from every angle. From the house itself, the view stretches across the Catskills, a layered panorama of soft blues and silvers that appears all the more dazzling in winter.
A window at Olana.By Brian Gersten
Inside the home, the sense of awe deepens. Olana’s interior is rich with color, pattern and texture — warm reds, stenciled walls, intricate woodwork — a striking counterpoint to the monochrome world outside. Light pours through tall windows, framing the Hudson Valley like living paintings.
Every corner of the house pays tribute to the far-flung places Church visited throughout his career. From architectural details to the objects he collected and displayed, visitors are transported to another world. Walking from room to room feels less like touring a house museum and more like stepping into the mind of an artist transfixed by the staggering beauty of the world around him.
As I made my way back down the hill, the winter light fading fast, I felt refreshed in a way that only comes from seeing something anew. Olana is not just a monument to one artist, but a testament to a way of viewing the world — one that values observation, patience and reverence for the natural environment. For those looking to venture out during the colder months and to be reminded why this region has inspired generations of artists and dreamers, there may be no better place to start than Olana.
Olana State Historic Site is located at 5720 State Route 9G, Hudson, New York. For more information and to purchase tours, visit: olana.org
The dining room at OlanaBy Brian Gersten
Berkshire Hills Ski League includes Washington Montessori School, Indian Mountain School, Rumsey Hall and Marvelwood School.
Photo by Tom Brown
The league includes a mix of private and public schools. HVRHS competed against Washington Montessori School, Indian Mountain School, Rumsey Hall and Marvelwood School.
Rumsey Hall competes in the Berkshire Hills Ski League.Photo by Tom Brown
Conditions were ideal for slalom skiing at Mohawk, albeit cold for spectators with the temperature in the teens. Approximately 20-inches of snow fell earlier in the week.
Mohawk will continue to host weekly meets of the BHSL each Wednesday through the end of the season. The league championship will take place Feb. 25.
There was lots of fresh powder on Mohawk Mountain Jan. 28 after approximately 20 inches fell earlier in the week.Photo by Tom Brown
