Oxen in Winter

"Oxen in Winter" by Maud Kathleen Lewis exemplifies her cheerful approach to rural life, capturing a nostalgic and optimistic view of Nova Scotia through her distinctive Naïve art (primitivism). The painting depicts a pair of oxen laboring in a snowy landscape, highlighting her talent for simplified yet vivid animal painting. Living most of her life in poverty in Marshalltown, Lewis created art that celebrated everyday life, often portraying landscapes and animals with a heartfelt innocence. Her work, though unrecognized by galleries during her lifetime, remains a cherished example of Canadian folk art, displayed at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and her restored house.