Ruth Mae McCrane (1929-2002) was born and raised in Texas, and, for 33 years, the lifelong educator taught art, history and language in Houston public schools and painted in her spare time.

Upon retirement, Dr. McCrane devoted her life to painting, chronicling life in Depression-era East Texas and Louisiana. Working on canvas, paper and plywood, her vividly colored paintings depicted various aspects of African American secular and religious activities, including schoolchildren, family gatherings, cotton and melon picking, rodeos, juke joints and more.

The works in the "Lost Books of the Bible" exhibition are influenced by her life growing up as the daughter of a pastor and her numerous memories visiting other churches. Her artistic style has been described as “naïve,” making her a favorite with folk art collectors.