Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Lewis painted oxen in every season of the year, often at work pulling wagons, sledges, and plows, but the composition of Oxen in Spring is one that she returned to again and again.

Child Feeding Squirrels is a complex composition with a clearly defined foreground and background.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

This painting of three yellow birds and flowers is atypical of Maud Lewis’s larger body of work, but it reflects the type of composition she preferred for the interior decoration of her house.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Lewis’s childhood cat was named “Fluffy,” and in later years she painted several versions of her memory of this black, longhaired family cat from Yarmouth.

Child Feeding Squirrels is a complex composition with a clearly defined foreground and background.

Maud Lewis’s origins as a painter lie in her childhood home, and she only ever had one teacher, her mother, Agnes.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Lewis painted oxen in every season of the year, often at work pulling wagons, sledges, and plows, but the composition of Oxen in Spring is one that she returned to again and again.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

This image of a couple in a convertible stopped by a cow in the middle of the road is unique among Maud Lewis’s work.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis’s origins as a painter lie in her childhood home, and she only ever had one teacher, her mother, Agnes.

In the early 1940s an American family with a holiday home in Yarmouth County commissioned a series of shutters from Maud Lewis, and Flowers with Candle Lantern was among the set.

In the early 1940s an American family with a holiday home in Yarmouth County commissioned a series of shutters from Maud Lewis, and Flowers with Candle Lantern was among the set.

Maud Lewis’s origins as a painter lie in her childhood home, and she only ever had one teacher, her mother, Agnes.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Maud Lewis’s origins as a painter lie in her childhood home, and she only ever had one teacher, her mother, Agnes.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

This work depicts a sleighing party, with three horse-drawn sleighs navigating a wintry valley.

Child Feeding Squirrels is a complex composition with a clearly defined foreground and background.

In this painting Maud Lewis presents the Bluenose, an iconic Nova Scotian fishing schooner that, under Captain Angus Walters, won the International Fisherman’s Race numerous times, including three in a row from 1921 to 1923.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

This small dwelling, which doubled as living and working space for Lewis and her husband Everett, was transformed by the artist over the years into a three-dimensional version of the bucolic subjects of her paintings.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Maud Lewis’s origins as a painter lie in her childhood home, and she only ever had one teacher, her mother, Agnes.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

In the early 1940s an American family with a holiday home in Yarmouth County commissioned a series of shutters from Maud Lewis, and Flowers with Candle Lantern was among the set.

In the early 1940s an American family with a holiday home in Yarmouth County commissioned a series of shutters from Maud Lewis, and Flowers with Candle Lantern was among the set.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis (1901–1970) has become one of Canada’s most renowned artists, the subject of numerous monographs, novels, plays, documentaries, and even a feature film.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

Maud Lewis’s significance grew exponentially after her death, and in a way, there are three Maud Lewises: the artist, the icon, and the brand.

This small dwelling, which doubled as living and working space for Lewis and her husband Everett, was transformed by the artist over the years into a three-dimensional version of the bucolic subjects of her paintings.

Maud Lewis’s origins as a painter lie in her childhood home, and she only ever had one teacher, her mother, Agnes.

This small dwelling, which doubled as living and working space for Lewis and her husband Everett, was transformed by the artist over the years into a three-dimensional version of the bucolic subjects of her paintings.

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For several years, I've had this postcard hanging in my kitchen on the doors that surround our fridge. I often pin up postcards that are sent here or that I find at different museums. This card came from my friend Kay. I love the graphic quality of the cows and the vivid use of color. For Christmas this year, Kay gave me a lovely collection of books about the Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis. Wow - Now I could learn a little more about the artist who painted those favorite cows. I dove right in and read all of them cover to cover. I thought some of you too would like to learn more about this artist who overcame and lived with incredible difficulties to become one of Canada's most beloved folk artists. Maud Lewis lived and painted in a teeny tiny one room house beside the side of a road in Nova Scotia. She grew up painting Christmas cards with her mom. She had many physical challenges but didn't let that stop her from painting. I'm not going to tell you the whole story because it is more fun to discover it for yourself. The thing I found most refreshing about Maud is that she didn't worry about having the exact right supplies. She painted on boards her husband Everett cut down to size and used marine and house paints that were discarded. Nothing stopped this woman from painting all her life. The photo of her below is so sweet - she just exudes her love and joy of painting and color. The inside of her home is decorated with all kinds of murals. The outside too. Here is a short film showing Maud's home which has been restored and is on permanent display at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. If you want to learn more about Maud, you can watch the this short film on Maud. I found it via the National Film Board of Canada. Maud Lewis: A World Without Shadows by Diane Beaudry, National Film Board of Canada I love to read stories about the lives of artists. This story is almost too amazing to be true. I'm not going to tell you much, just share some photos from the book. Maybe you will discover more about Maud and become inspired to paint, stitch, knit, or crochet your world too. Thank you so much to Kay for my fabulous Christmas gift.