Opus 40 is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization comprised of a 6.5 acre earthwork sculpture and museum created by Harvey Fite, with 60 acres of meadows, forested quarry trails and bluestone quarries in the heart of the Hudson Valley in Saugerties, NY.
Mission
Opus 40 stewards the magnificent 6.5-acre stonework sculpture and its surroundings created by Harvey Fite and fosters direct connections between his artwork and the public. Through vibrant arts, environmental, and educational experiences, Opus 40 shares and amplifies Fite’s inspirational vision as a place for visitors to explore and reflect on the relationships between nature, local history, and the arts.
Vision
Our vision is to celebrate the art, life, and creative spirit of Harvey Fite by engaging visitors in transformative experiences that inspire awe, reflection, and creativity. We envision Opus 40 as a destination where people from around the world come to experience art, nature, and cultural heritage in the Hudson Valley.
For more insight into our organization’s accomplishments and objectives, please see our Annual Report.
"My favorite work, Opus 40, hides in the woods of Saugerties, New York. Constructed over 37 years by sculptor Harvey Fite, it’s a complicated bluestone earthworks flowing through 6.5 acres. Fite built the meandering series of platforms, pools, and assemblages using techniques he picked up visiting Aztec and Mayan ruins."
"The property remains imbued with Fite’s creativity and drive, which seemed to transfer to me as I walked around. If my schedule had allowed, I would have spent a whole day there writing at one of the picnic tables on the lawn."
"The series of stone ramps and platforms created by Harvey Fite at Opus 40 in Saugerties is always worth a visit."
"The natural landscape of the quarry has made for a unique stage, and you can head sixteen feet below to the epicenter of the main sculpture. Fite has expertly matched the natural landscape with man-made art."
"Opus 40, a sculpture park and museum, is a simply amazing place and space. Here Harvey Fite, the visionary artist, worked 40 years to create ramps, pools, and fountains from millions of pieces of stone — not to mention a nine-ton monolith emerging from the center of the bedrock."
"A hand-built labyrinth that sprawls over six acres of stone paths, pedestals, ramps and platforms, Opus 40 is an ideal location for adherence to social-distancing measures."
“A testament to the wondrous and crazy things humans can create.”
“No trip is complete without a visit to Opus 40.”
“A magnificent feat of landscape design and sculpture”
“In Saugerties, the monumental Opus 40 site stands in testament to the artistic whimsy of the late Harvey Fite.”
“Fite has expertly matched the natural landscape with man-made art.”
“Our hearts quicken every time we enter Opus 40, sculptor Harvey Fite’s 40-year Labor of Love… A monumental installation of environmental sculpture.”
“An out-of-this-world sculpture park… Opus 40 looks like something that may have been constructed by a group of extraterrestrials, or something left behind by an ancient civilization.”
“We talk to our kids a lot about finding something to do in life that brings them joy. We talk about grit, perseverance and learning new skills. We talk about how art comes in all different shapes and forms. We talk about how much we can learn from history and the skills and techniques used by ancient civilizations. We talk about staying true to yourself. We talk about nature and respecting earth’s natural resources. All of those things we talk about as a family? They were all represented in some way, shape or form at Opus 40.”
“A monumental abstract environmental sculpture in bluestone.”
“Now on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s natural surroundings offer prime leaf peeping while the town of Saugerties remains relatively quiet compared to other towns along the Hudson.”
“If you love eccentric characters with passions expressed as enduring attractions, you’ll love this in-the-woods expanse of bluestone ramps, stairs, pedestals, statues and ledges — all created by one man, Harvey Fite… It’s a fantastic, one-of-a-kind venue.”
“A truly mind-blowing experience, a must see to believe.”
“Switch to something a little more peaceful and pensive at the Opus 40 & Quarryman’s Museum. Opus 40 is a unique earthwork sculpture, or a sculpture that incorporates the ground itself. A man named Harvey Fite spent 37 years transforming his quarry into a walkable, touchable, explorable work of art.”
“The latest reason you'll want to find yourself in Saugerties, Opus 40 is one of New York State's most unique sculpture parks.”
“The masterwork of artist Harvey Fite, Opus 40 is an astounding 6.5-acre bluestone sculpture and earth artwork amidst a sylvan setting in Saugerties. Breathtaking in scope and execution, the structure is carved from an existing quarry and built by hand to frame a view of Overlook Mountain.”
“Opus 40 is a Hudson Valley sculpture park like no other. Seems incredible? That’s because it is. The lifetime work of one man, Opus 40 strikes visitors with its sheer vastness, its manmade design that somehow operates so harmoniously with the landscape that surrounds it… There it is, tucked quietly down a country road in Saugerties, just waiting for visitors to come explore.”
“Name a more magical upstate destination. We’ll wait.”
“You’ll want to make time to visit Opus 40, an awe-inspiring sculpture park that’s less than a 15-minute drive from the heat of Woodstock.”
"Stone, layered and timeless, sprawls across the acreage at Opus 40. It looks as old as the hills because — in one sense — it is."
“When I made the decision to take my children on a trip to Saugerties, NY, the chance to see Opus 40 for the first time was definitely the highlight of the year…. Opus 40 is an amazing work of art. The way this work of art was created offers an extraordinary experience around every corner. Full of walkways, tunnels and statues, this quiet stone sanctuary is a perfect place for exploration.”
“In today’s modern world, there’s an emphasis on instant gratification – likes, comments and opinions are all quickly exchanged with minimal effort. So, a sculpture project planned over the course of forty years by one man is a bit unheard of this days, unless you find yourself in Saugerties.”
“In the shadow of Overlook Mountain in Upstate New York, you’ll find one of the most apt monuments of the Catskills, The Opus 40 Sculpture Park… Assembled by hand over 37 years by local sculptor Harvey Fite, the park rises out of the pit of an abandoned quarry like it’s a relic that’s been delicately unearthed by the brush of a giant archeologist. What’s extraordinary is that there were no plans or drawings made before the work began.”
“It’s now written in stone that Harvey Fite’s legacy of Opus 40 should be top on the list of anyone passing through the Saugerties area”
“You won’t want to miss visiting Opus 40.”
“If you haven’t yet visited Opus 40, sculptor Harvey Fite’s 6 ½-acre earthwork in High Woods, near the Saugerties/Woodstock border, you’ve missed one of the most extraordinary attractions in the Hudson Valley/Catskills region. This mesmerizing maze of stone, water and sky demands hands-on, feet-on exploration… It’s a thoroughly magical place.”
“It’s hard to imagine how one person created this giant labyrinthine mass of finely fitted dry stone that swirls in every direction with ramps, pools and moats, walls, platforms, stairways and other configurations.”
“Imagine taking an ordinary wall of rock and turning it into a masterpiece. Then imagine performing this minor miracle over an expanse of 6.5 acres. The result would be Opus 40, a stunning combination of nature, architecture and art that is a permanent part of the landscape in Upstate New York. It would make a cool destination for a day trip from Central New York.”
“Your main reason for visiting Saugerties is Opus 40”
“One of the most magical spots in the Catskills”
“This is my wardrobe, if I was a landscape artist”
“One of my favorite shoot locations! It’s completely unexpected, down an unassuming lane, and then all of a sudden unfolding in front of your eyes: this otherworldly monolithic stone wonderland that has been built painstakingly with incredible precision but with a Dr. Seuss-like imagination.”
“This is a place you come for zen. To sit still. To wander. To escape. To feel quiet. To think that every single stone was moved by one man into place. It makes you wonder if we really need computers. Or machines. Because it makes you feel something that modern technological architecture can’t. It’s at one with you. And you with it.”
