Traditional Arts in Upstate New York. Traditional Arts of Upstate New York
53 Main Street
Canton, NY 13617
(315) 386-4289

Past Featured Artists

The North Country Folkstore periodically features a regional artist--sometimes for a month, sometimes for an afternoon demonstration. Below are a sample of artists whose work has been featured in the Folkstore.

 

Helen Condon
From her early days on a Long Island duck farm to the spacious old Grange hall in Parishville renovated into her home and studio, Helen Condon has been designing and making rugs for more than 50 years. Today, the walls of her studio are lined with shelves of wool, organized by color and weight; she is known for her skilled choice and blending of colors. Recipient of the 2004  North Country Heritage Award, Helen continues teaching and making custom rugs on commission in her studio. Some of her creations grace Adirondack great camps and Manhattan apartments today.


Ron Riley
Ron began his fascination with woodcarving as a child in Massena. He lived next to a lumber yard where he would fashion scraps of wood into gifts for family and friends. Today when he’s not teaching classes to carvers of all ages, Ron spends time creating walking sticks, birds and other animals, and a variety of whimsical figures and caricatures.

Jack Taylor
Known for years as the "chief cook" at St. Lawrence University, today Jack Taylor can be seen most days sporting a baseball cap adorned with one of his hand-carved mice. A founder and member of the St. Lawrence Carvers Club, Jack has been carving for about 11 years.  His work includes traditional folk art fan-birds and devotional art works.

Gene Newman
For 25 years Gene Newman has been carving wildlife sculptures from various types of North Country wood. The self-taught artist works primarily in cherry, butternut, and maple; his interests in the natural world serve as his main inspiration.
 
Currently Gene is exploring creative ways to display his flower sculptures, some of which can be seen at the TAUNY Folkstore. A multi-award-winning sculptor, Newman also spends his free time building competitive racing canoes.

 

Mary Ann McLaughlin
Silversmith Mary Ann McLaughlin of St. Regis Falls moved to the North Country 35 years ago and has made a living creating sterling silver jewelry including necklaces, earrings, rings and pendants, some with natural gem stones and glass. She sells her custom-made jewelry around the Adirondacks and St. Lawrence Valley.


Alice David
Alice David  uses vintage and other salvaged fabrics to create quilts that range in size from very small to very large. Her work is colorful and made for hard use. Sometimes a complete design is in Alice’s mind at the start of a project; often, she simply starts putting pieces together and sees what happens. People sometimes bring Alice antique quilt tops they have inherited, and hire her to finish the quilt.  For these projects, Alice is able to draw from her stash of vintage fabrics, to find materials that match the original top. 

 

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