Julia Tilley Crawford (1896-1968) was born at Kingston, Kings County, New Brunswick, of Loyalist descent, the daughter of Leonard Crawford and Julia Wetmore. Julia received her early education in Kingston then attended Teachers' College in Fredericton. Before enrolling at the Pratt Institute in New York, she studied under Alice E. Hagerty at the Saint John Art Club school. While at the Pratt Institute, Julia received a 3rd year Pratt Scholarship. During the summers, she continued her art education at 4 different schools in the United States. During the summer of 1934, she travelled and studied art in Europe.

From 1928 to 1944, Julia Crawford was an instructor at Saint John Vocational School and from 1928 to 1930, she was acting head of the Art Department. From 1944 to 1957 she taught at Netherwood School in Rothesay. From 1944 onward, Julia also taught private art classes at her studio and continued painting.

Julia Crawford was an active member of the Saint John Art Club and served as president from 1937 to 1942. She was a founding member of the Maritime Art Association (1935) and served as vice president from 1941-1942. Julia also belonged to several other art organizations including the New York Watercolour Club.

In 1959, Julia was the winner of $200 in the Beaverbrook Art Gallery Competition. The following year, she was named a Fellow of the International Institute of Art and Literature.

Julia Tilley Crawford worked in oil, watercolour, pastels, charcoal, and black ink in a representational, expressionistic painterly style. Her subjects included landscapes, portraits, flower studies, imaginary subjects and seascapes. Julia's work is respresented in permanent collections at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the New Brunswick Museum, the IBM Corporation, and in many private collections.

From 1949-1957, Julia had one person shows at the New Brunswick Museum, University of New Brunswick, Acadia University, St. Stephen, St. Andrews, University of Maine and Netherwood School. She had paintings in exhibits at the Watercolour Club of New York; Brazil; the Paris Salon, Paris, France; Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland; Royal Society of British Artists, London, England, and throughout Canada.