As part of Olive Free Library’s upcoming Library Fair on June 6th, local artist Collin Douma will be reading from his debut book, “Olive of Ashokan: United Fauna Dispatches Vol. 1” and thanks to a grant from Arts Mid-Hudson, he has 50 copies to give away at the event.

Olive of Ashokan is a snapping turtle older than the reservoir that swallowed her home. Her story anchors this debut collection of stories and eco-surrealist paintings that depict a natural world defiantly persisting in the wake of human impact.

Douma’s work in painting, sculpture, and mixed media has been exhibited from Amsterdam to Peekskill, including multiple shows throughout the Hudson Valley. He is a recipient of the 2025 WAAM Social Justice Award for Environmental Activism in Art.