Maud Lewis was a Canadian folk artist from Nova Scotia. She remains one of Canada's best known and most loved folk artists.
She was born Maud Dowley in South Ohio

South Ohio, Nova Scotia

South Ohio is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipality of the District of Yarmouth ....

, Nova Scotia on March 7, 1903 to John and Agnes Dowley.

She suffered from disabilities as a result of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...

. She began her artistic career by hand-drawing Christmas cards. These proved popular with her husband's customers as he sold fish door to door and encouraged her to begin painting.