A 19th-century Hudson River School painter showcased in a high-tech platform has been named as one of the Honorees in the Arts category in the 14th Annual Webby Awards. 

Official Honoree Explore Thomas Cole (http://www.explorethomascole.org/) was among 8,000 entries competing for the distinction. Fewer than 15% of entered websites are recognized with a Webby, the award given for an outstanding caliber of work in website design.

Part of the site's appeal is certainly the beauty and functionality present in the comprehensive Virtual Gallery of Cole's work. Filter the gallery by subject, medium, location, or owner to study 144 paintings and drawings by Cole.

Far more entertaining than most books on artists, the site's Interactive Tour and a map of the artist's painting locations are great visual tools for researchers and casual art enthusiasts alike.

From related artists to definitions and a bibliography, this comprehensive site presents a wealth of information and images on the artist befitting his pioneering role in American landscape painting.

Explore Thomas Cole is a project of The Thomas Cole National Historic Site, an affiliated site of the National Park Service, and was funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanties.

The Webby award winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, whose members include David Bowie, Harvey Weinstein, Arianna Huffington, Matt Groening, Internet inventor Vinton Cerf, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson, and R/GA Chairman and CEO Bob Greenberg.