September 2025

September seemed to slip by quietly, but looking back, it was full of steady progress and creative momentum. This month felt like laying the groundwork, making small but meaningful steps that will shape the bigger projects ahead.

Sunset from the porch of the 1815 Main House.

At the site, I finalized the text for the plant identification guide with Beth and sent it off to our designers for layout and final design. It’s so rewarding to see that project come to life after months of planning and collaboration. I also continued supporting group visits and children’s programs, which have quickly become one of my favorite parts of the week. Watching kids connect art, gardens and imagination never gets old.

On the digital side, I started helping streamline our Bloomberg Connects app using Figma, which has been the perfect opportunity to teach myself more about the program and strengthen my design skills. The book project also moved forward as we had another productive meeting that helped clarify its structure and direction, and I’ve begun some of the first visual steps toward the prospectus.

Title page of the prospectus I am developing.

The audio guide is also beginning to take shape. I started recording several sections this month and gathered five new interviews for the deep-dive portion of the walking tour. Hearing different voices share their perspectives has made the project feel much more alive and collaborative.

On a more personal note, September was a big month outside of work too. I finished the rigorous application process for the Fulbright program, which was a major milestone in itself. I also took a much-needed trip to Boston to visit friends and explore the city for the first time. It was refreshing to see familiar faces and spend time in a new place before heading into the busy season ahead.

Boston with the girls!

Overall, September was a month of quiet progress, full of learning, reflection and preparation for everything October has in store.

August 2025

August absolutely flew by, and I can hardly believe September is already here. Looking back, the month was full of growth, projects and inspiring moments that made me feel more rooted in this fellowship and the Hudson Valley community.

At the site, I’ve become much more confident with the history and rhythm of daily operations. I even led a children’s family tour and play where we explored the garden and the Emily Cole exhibit before creating art inspired by nature. Working alongside Beth, our Education Coordinator, I helped with workshops on natural plant dyes, a garden tour and pressed flower jars. These programs have been a rewarding way to connect with visitors and reminded me how much I enjoy the education side of museum work.

Me leading the Family Tour & Play!

My publication project is taking shape! I drafted a concept statement, met with staff and began working closely with board member Erin, who has incredible experience creating impactful publications. In September, I’ll design a visual prospectus to bring the project to life, which I’m excited about because it lets me use my design skills. At the same time, Beth and I have been developing a plant ID guide inspired by Emily Cole and is apart of a grant that the site was gifted to create some STEAM educational material. We’ve finalized the layout and plant list, and I’m now creating activities to pair with the guide. It has been one of my favorite parts of the fellowship so far!

The audio guide is underway, too. I’ve outlined potential narrators and drafted scripts for the sections that I and Heather, our Director of Visitor Engagement, will record. I’m also thinking through ways to reorganize the app to make it more engaging. It’s new territory for me, which makes it both challenging and exciting. I’m wrapping up a tour script for our Harvest Festival on October 19th, which will be another milestone.

This month wasn’t just about on-site work. A highlight was the Hudson Valley: Histories in Our Backyard conference at Vassar College’s Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center. The day brought together museum professionals from across the region to share ideas on land and landscape, community engagement and hidden histories. The keynote by Stephanie Sparling Williams of the Brooklyn Museum was especially inspiring. It was an energizing reminder of how collaboration can reimagine historic collections. Stephanie’s work redesigning the American art wing, might now be my favorite exhibition even though I haven’t seen it in person yet.The conference left me full of ideas and reminded me of the power of collaboration in shaping museum practice.

Stephanie Sparling Williams of the Brooklyn Museum talking about her redesign.

We also visited Manitoga, the home of industrial designer Russel Wright, and Storm King Art Center. Manitoga was breathtaking in both design and landscape, and it reignited my love for design. Storm King was equally inspiring, even though our visit was cut short by a dramatic storm. Hannah des Cognets, Director of Education at Storm King, shared insight into their education and programming and generously gave me one of their publications, which is already feeding ideas for the publication I’m developing at the Cole Site.

Maya and I at Manitoga!

August was fast-paced and full, but deeply rewarding. It feels good to pause and see how far I’ve come in just a few months. Looking ahead, I’m excited to lead my first art workshop in September and to take a trip up to Boston to visit friends who are beginning their own professional journeys. I can’t wait to see what this next month brings!

June & July 2025

The past two months have been full of firsts as I settled into life in Catskill and began my work as a Cole Fellow. The landscape here is gorgeous, and I have loved exploring it while getting to know my fellow Fellow, Maya, who comes to the program from Bard College just down the road. Fun fact: she actually wrote her senior thesis on Thomas Cole, which has already made for some great conversations. I have also had the joy of meeting the staff, a wonderfully welcoming group who have made the transition feel much easier.

Wallpaper and Study for the Voyage of Life Series in the Sitting Room of the Thomas Cole House

My very first week began with a crash course on Thomas Cole from Alan Wallach, a renowned Cole scholar, which was the perfect way to dive into the fellowship. I learned so much in just five days which in the grand scheme of things is very little time to learn the history of an artist such as Cole! From there, I learned about my specific focus areas and projects on site. My primary project is spearheading a publication on the history of the site itself—something that has never existed before but is greatly needed. Even with the short time I have been here I have noticed how many visitor questions had no single resource to point to. Creating what will likely become a coffee-table style book is still in its earliest stages but it feels meaningful to contribute to something that will have a lasting impact and I know will be put to good use.

Alongside the publication, I am also supporting education and visitor services. That means helping with programming, especially children’s events and community outreach, as well as developing educational content. One project I am especially excited (and admittedly a bit daunted) to take on is the creation of a new audio guide for the site. I have never done anything like it before, but that is exactly what makes the challenge worthwhile.

The fellowship also includes site visits, and in June and July we traveled to two especially meaningful places. The first was Olana, the home of Frederic Church, Thomas Cole’s student who ultimately surpassed him in fame due to his longevity, wealth and extensive travels. Experiencing Olana behind the scenes was incredible, particularly its dramatic landscape perched high on the hill across from the Cole property. What struck me most after this visit was the question of how historic sites should evolve. Olana is unique in that much of its 19th and early 20th century decor and paintings remain intact, allowing visitors to see the house almost exactly as it was during Church’s lifetime. The Cole house, by contrast, was truly lived in by the family over generations which meant most original furnishings and objects did not remain. Yet this absence has created opportunities for interpretation and projects that would not have been possible otherwise. It also allows visitors to engage more closely with the rooms, creating a sense of connection that feels essential in a historic home. I admire how the Cole site continues to bring contemporary artists into its programming and exhibitions. While not always everyone’s cup of tea, these conversations are vital. They ensure the site remains dynamic and they keep Cole’s legacy relevant today.

At the Top of Olana with (Right to Left) Maggie: Curator at Olana, Myself, Maya, Kate: Chief Curator at TCNHS and Amanda: Associate Curator at TCNHS

We also visited the Albany Institute of History and Art and the New York State Archives, where I saw journals, sketchbooks and other materials related to Cole. I especially loved the Hudson River School exhibition, which showed how wall color and thoughtful design can shape the viewing experience. It reminded me how much exhibit design matters. It also sparked thoughts of how the Bloomberg App that I helping to develop for our site could have been used so strategically in tandem with that exhibition. At the Archives, I was able to see the Cole materials in person after use of their digitized collection online. The physical organization made the digital suddenly click for me in a way that will make my ongoing research much easier.

The Hudson River Art School Exhibit at Albany Institute of History & Art

Beyond research and projects, I’ve been jumping into programs with our education coordinator Beth and am hopeful to lead some myself in the coming months. I am beginning to realize how much I love the education side of museum work, especially at a site that is just now building out so many new initiatives. It feels like an exciting place to be, with so much potential to shape what comes next.

I also celebrated my 23rd birthday in July! A milestone that felt like the perfect way to mark the start of this new chapter in my professional journey.

Painting Workshop Set up in the Storehouse.

Initial Acceptance

Right as tassels were turned and caps flew into the air, I got news that shaped the next chapter of my journey. After a two-part interview process, I was offered the position of Cole Fellow at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site on the very day of my college graduation! It added to the whirlwind of emotions: the joy of finishing one chapter, the bittersweet reality of saying “goodbye for now” to my Raleigh community and the excitement (and nerves) of a big move to New York’s Hudson River Valley.

I feel honored to have been selected from a large pool of applicants and cannot wait to put the skills I gained in college to work on new research, writing and creative projects. For those less familiar, Thomas Cole was the founder of the Hudson River School of painting, the first major art movement in America. His work captured both the grandeur and fragility of the natural landscape, shaping how Americans saw their environment in the 19th century and beyond. To be part of a fellowship rooted in his home and legacy is a true honor and I’m eager to explore how his ideas continue to resonate today.