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Maude Craig Miss Georgia Goes to Church tempera 1930s Maude Craig was born as Maude Parmley in 1881, probably in Pope County, Illinois. She received no formal artistic training. Craig also made quilts and woven rugs, and had a definite "eye for color," in them as well as her naïve paintings. Like many of the artists who were involved with the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project (WPA/FAP), little is known about Craig's personal background.

In 1984, the University Museum received an Illinois Arts Council grant to research Craig. Researcher Lee Tichenor followed many leads to develop what we do know about Craig. During her life, Maude was married several times adding difficulty to this research. Some of her married names were Maude Sumner, Maude Craig and Maude Choate.

Little is known about Craig until she moved to Creal Springs, Illinois, during the mid-1930s. It was during this time that she became involved with the FAP. It is not known if Craig did any painting before her FAP involvement, and it is not known if she continued to paint after the FAP ended. However, it is unlikely, as diabetes had affected her eyesight. The Museum has eight of her works including this one and the following: "Evening on the Farm," "Flowers," "Little Rebel in a Doll House," "Oh, Oh Boys," "Unrepaired House," "Main Street" and "Happy Days at Grandmother's". Craig died in 1953, after a lengthy battle with diabetes.

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