Varick Chittenden, Founding Director of TAUNY (Traditional Arts in Upstate New York) in Canton, NY, is a folklorist with particular interests in regional culture, folk art, traditional crafts, foodways, and oral storytelling traditions. He is Professor Emeritus of English and folklore at SUNY Canton, has an MA in American Folk Culture from the Cooperstown Graduate Program and a BA and MEd from St. Lawrence University. He has curated numerous exhibitions of folk art and published countess articles in scholarly and general interest publications. He remains an active folklorist locally and nationally, and regularly consults with TAUNY on programs and projects.