Moose & Wolves is a wood carving and painted wood sculpture by Benjamin N. Raino of Whitehall, where Washington County touches Lake Champlain on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. The carving was added to the Folk Art Collection of The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library in 2005.
Ben Raino was an Adirondack outdoorsman, known for his expertise in trapping, hunting and fishing. He was also an award-winning Master Carver and Arts Educator. His art work is on display in museums and craft shops throughout upstate New York. Mr. Raino was also a Woods Raconteur (French storyteller) and a member of The Liars Club. He had been a featured storyteller at numerous county fairs and regional cultural events. Each of his carvings is a one of a kind tribute to nature.
Mr. Raino passed away February 28, 2021, at the age of 87. He was a lifelong resident of Whitehall, Washington County, NY. After a tour in the United States Air Force, he earned a degree from New York University as a Dental Lab Technician. He returned to Whitehall, started his own business and married his wife Carolyn J. Whalen, and had 4 children. He loved his hometown community and was active local organizations and politics. In his obituary his family requested, in lieu of flowers, that “you support your local Artists and Craftsmen.”
Be sure to watch for more posts about our Folk Arts Collection, and for our new project, Folk Arts All Around Us, an evolving exhibition found thoughout Crandall Public Library.
Sources
Wood carving: "Moose & Wolves by Ben Raino. Folk Art Collection, The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls, NY.
Wood carving: "Moose & Wolves" on NY Heritage website: https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/crandall/id/792/rec/1
Folklife Research Files of Todd DeGarmo, The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library.
Obituary: Benjamin N. Raino, February 2, 1934 - February 28, 2021 (age 87). http://www.jillsonfuneralhome.com/obituary/Benjamin-Raino
Todd DeGarmo is the founding director of The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, NY, and can be reached at tdegarmo@sals.edu. He's worked as a public sector folklorist and educator in various venues for over 42 years, and is the editor of Voices: Journal of New York Folklore. He lives in the upper Hudson Valley of Upstate New York, a stone's throw from the Battenkill near the Vermont border.