Skip to main content

© 2026

Donate

Play Live Radio

Next Up:

0:00

0:00

0:00 0:00

Available On Air Stations

The Roundtable

The Roundtable Live from Frederic Church’s OLANA: ‘Drawn by the River’ by Moira Fitzgibbons

By Joe Donahue

Published May 4, 2026 at 3:10 PM EDT

Ways To Subscribe

Spotify

Joe Donahue and Moira Fitzgibbons

The book, ‘Drawn by the River,’ explores the rich relationship between comics and the Hudson River Valley. In it, Moira Fitzgibbons connects comics, cartoons, and animation to the region’s artistic legacy - from Hudson River School landscapes to its industrial past - revealing a layered creative ecosystem.

She traces the influence of the Western Printing facility, the success of local creators behind ‘ElfQuest,’ and the ways landscape itself shapes visual storytelling.

Moira Fitzgibbons is a Professor of English at Marist University in Poughkeepsie. Her work spans comics studies, medieval literature, disability studies, and the history of the English language. We welcome her to the RT this morning.

Tags

The Roundtable olana Olana State Historic Site frederic church Frederic Church Center for Art & Landscape remote broadcast WAMC on the Road

Joe Donahue

Joe talks to people on the radio for a living. In addition to countless impressive human "gets" - he has talked to a lot of Muppets. Joe grew up in Philadelphia, has been on the area airwaves for more than 25 years and currently lives in Washington County, NY with his wife, Kelly, and their dog, Brady. And yes, he reads every single book.

See stories by Joe Donahue

Related Content

The Roundtable

The Roundtable Live from Frederic Church’s OLANA: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Scenic Hudson

Joe Donahue

As we mentioned earlier in the program, The Olana State Historic Site operates through a public-private partnership. The property is preserved and run by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and The Olana Partnership. They also work closely with regional historical and conservation groups in the area.In that vein, we are joined now by New York State Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Kathy Moser and President of Scenic Hudson Ned Sullivan. Scenic Hudson has long been considered a leader in safeguarding the Hudson Valley’s irreplaceable landscapes.
The Roundtable

The Roundtable Live from Frederic Church’s OLANA: ‘Glorious Country: How the Artist Frederic Church Brought the World to America’ by Victoria Johnson

Joe Donahue

Historian Victoria Johnson has a gift for uncovering the human stories behind American culture. In her new book, ‘Glorious Country: How the Artist Frederic Church Brought the World to America’ and America to the World, she turns to Frederic Church, the Hudson River School painter whose sweeping landscapes helped define a young nation’s sense of itself.Johnson traces Church’s global travels - from the Arctic to South America - and shows how his art connected American audiences to a wider world.
The Roundtable

The Roundtable Live from Frederic Church’s OLANA: President of the Olana Partnership Sean Sawyer and Consulting Senior Curator Dr. Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser

Joe Donahue

Today marks the 200th Anniversary of Frederic Church's birth, and we are here to explore the creation, creativity, landscape, preservation, and importance of the home and gardens in history and in the Hudson Valley.The Olana State Historic Site operates through a public-private partnership. The 250-acre property is run by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and The Olana Partnership.Our first guests this morning are President of the Olana Partnership Sean Sawyer and Consulting Senior Curator and Chair of The Church 200 Committee Dr. Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser. She has lead planning efforts for this national celebration, the 200th anniversary of the artist Frederic Church’s birth.