As a self-taught artist from Norwich, Ontario, who became known as "the Greatest Animal Painter in the World," Ross Butler was commissioned by the Ontario government in the 1930s to paint "true types" of North American livestock breeds to be used for agricultural education and breeding purposes — the largest commission ever awarded to a Canadian painter. These paintings decorated schoolrooms for several generations, giving many students their first exposure to fine art. Butler also founded the first all-breed artificial insemination unit for cattle in Canada in order to breed these true types, as much for their aesthetic conformation as for their commercial value. The Ross Butler Studio and Agricultural Art Gallery is located in Woodstock, Ontario.

Irene Crawford-Siano is the author of several acclaimed biographies and heritage books, including Journey to Perfection: The Agricultural Art of Ross Butler, Ever Vigilant: The History of the Woodstock Police Department, and A Tradition of Caring: The Woodstock General Hospital.

Irene Crawford-Siano's profile page