Redwork embroidery was one of the most popular forms of art needlework through most of the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era, and into the Great Depression. Because it required only three beginner stitches (stem stich, lazy daisy, and French knot) and one color of thread (red) it was both simple and economical. According to Deborah Harding in her book, Red and White: American Redwork Quilts, “[d]uring the last quarter of the nineteenth century, decorative surface embroidery on

Here's another video in the series of documentaries called From the Archives, based on my grant-funded research documenting the folklife and traditions of our region from 1986 to 1994, that led to the creation of the Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library. In this episode, we hear about the Norton family who ran the Standard Supply Company in Otter Lake, NY, a major supplier of Adirondack balsam pillows during the first half of the 20th century. These photographs, intervi

The Friends of Crandall Public Library have been hosting book sales for about as long as they have been in existence. Started in Spring 1951, this year marks their 70th anniversary. So, let's take a look at the newspaper & a glance through the collections in the Folklife Center. One of the first book sales was held on May 27, 1952 on the lawn in City Park. Novels, history, religion & philosophy were just some of the types of books available for a dime. The Post-Star reported

This morning, The Folklife Center received a wonderful new collection. Jon Patton and his sister Mary Jo Patton Russell stopped by on the way to the family home in North Creek to donate research materials of Jon's lifelong passion: the history of the Adirondack branch of the D & H Railroad, from Saratoga Springs to Tahawus. Jon's research over the years led him to accumulate everything he could find, to create a website (see below), and to write the overall history of the A

Harry and I in the Strawberry Patch, a painting by Clara Mae Orto, is one of the many unique works found in our Folk Arts Collection at Crandall Public Library. It is currently on loan to the TAUNY Center in Canton, New York, for an exhibition I guest-curated, called Folk Arts All Around Us, on view from February 13 to October 23, 2021. Clara Mae Towers Orto (1929-2010) was a self-taught artist who painted scenes depicting life both past and present in the Corinth area of nor

As I mentioned in previous blog entries, my job at the moment isn't to learn the life story of every person who appears in the Folklife Center's Richard M. Bloomer Glass Plate Negative Collection (although that's something I'd certainly love to do). I have 22 boxes of negatives—roughly 3,000 to 4,000 individual photographs—waiting to be cleaned, scanned, described, and rehoused. It is a massive undertaking, and if I stopped to research the story behind every face I come acros

We are now the proud owners of 100 Amigurumi crocheted animals. A large box arrived in May. Its contents were originally part of an exhibition at RESOBOX Gallery, a Japanese cultural center located in Queens, NY. Each piece is one of a kind and handmade by professional artists from all over the world. They will be added to our Folk Arts Collection and soon be the center of upcoming displays, projects, and programs this summer and fall hosted by the Folklife Center. Amigurumi

Musical Monday took yesterday off in honor of Memorial Day, but returns today to showcase the jaw-dropping music of Calan. The Welsh quintet blew the roof off the library back in October of 2016 when it played our Live! Folklife Concert Series. Enjoy a never-before-seen video from that amazing show! About the band and our concert series: Calan bring together the remarkable talents of 5 musicians, giving a fresh and vibrant sound to traditional Welsh music. With their unique i