Craig Crawford is a distinguished painting conservator and artist, born in 1964 in Sacramento, California. He moved with his family to Aiken, South Carolina, at the age of eight, a move that significantly influenced his perception and interpretation of Southern culture, themes that have deeply informed his artwork and professional path. Crawford graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of South Carolina, after which he sought to deepen his understanding of painting through the materials and techniques used in their creation. This quest led him to an apprenticeship in painting conservation with Olin Conservation, Inc. in Washington D.C. in 1989, under the mentorship of Charles Olin, former head of Painting Conservation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery​​.

Crawford's professional journey in art conservation is marked by significant achievements and contributions to the field. After his apprenticeship, he held various roles, including Associate Painting Conservator at Olin Conservation, Inc., and later at Cunningham-Adams Fine Art Conservation. In these positions, he was involved in the treatment of notable works, including easel and wall paintings at prestigious locations such as the Brumidi Corridors of the United States Capitol. In 1999, Crawford returned to South Carolina and established his private painting conservation practice, Crawford Conservation Inc., offering museum-quality services to a wide range of institutions and private collectors. Noteworthy projects have included treatments for works housed in institutions such as the Greenville County Museum of Art and the Historic New Orleans Collection, as well as significant mural and wall painting conservation projects across the Southeastern United States​​.