Maud Lewis

Canadian [1903-1970]

Born Maud Kathleen Dowley, in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, Maud Lewis moved to Marshalltown, near Digby, in 1938 after marrying Everett Lewis. Together, they lived in their small one-room house until her death. While primitive in amenities, and measuring only about 12 x 12 feet (with a sleeping loft) the house was cheerful and colourful, as Maud had painted every surface, including many household objects. A sign outside read "Paintings, For Sale". The Lewis "painted house" is now restored and preserved within the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, which also exhibits a number of her works.

Other than one trip to Halifax, Maud Lewis spent her entire life within a one-hour drive of her birthplace, content to sit by her corner window painting, a remarkable accomplishment given congenital physical challenges that were compounded by rheumatoid arthritis. Maud once said when asked about her life, which to outsiders might have seemed to be a frugal, isolated and restricted existence: "I'm contented here...I ain't much for travelling anyway. As long as I've got a bit of brush in front of me, I'm all right." (p. 29 "The Illuminated Live of Maud Lewis; Lance Woolaver; Nimbus Publishing/Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1996).

Maud Lewis began painting under the instruction and encouragement of her mother, making Christmas cards which they sold door-to-door for 5 cents apiece; this was a tradition that Maud continued in the forties with Everett. From these modest beginnings, Maud Lewis has become Nova Scotia's (and likely Canada's) most recognized folk artist. Her renown began to grow after a CBC "Telescope" broadcast in 1965. What followed were numerous important commissions (including for the Nixon White House), a number of books, plays, several National Film Board of Canada documentaries, and a Hollywood film.

Maud Lewis is known for her bright, joyful, often playful scenes depicting oxen, flowers, birds, cats, horse-drawn sleighs and maritime landscapes. These iconic scenes were often repeated by Maud with changes in detail or season.