Deborah L. Newton Legacy Endowment

The inspiration for the Awards is to complete a circle of Deborah's receiving inspiring giving.

In the summer of 1956 between Deborah's 7th and 8th grades, she received a Katherine Lord Scholarship for art lessons at then Burpee Museum of Art (now RAM). Her seed-sowing experience.

In 1992, when Deborah was an established and accomplished adult artist, she received the first Jessica Holt Purchase Award adding one of her paintings to RAM's permanent collection. Her inspiration recognized.

While both awards Deborah received have completed their run, the spirit of these experiences and recognitions will be offered to others for generations.

Distributions from this endowment to Womanspace fund annual Deborah Newton Awards which provide:

• Art making experiences to public, private, and homeschooled 7th and 8th grade students, and
• Recognition via monetary, purchase, exhibition, or stipend/commission to active adult visual artists

in the Rockford Area (Winnebago to West, Rockton/South Beloit to North, Belvidere to East, New Milford to South). Each award will give recognition to Deborah and to this endowment.

Learn more about the awards, criteria, and when and how to apply on the Womanspace website.

How can you support Deborah's continued inspiration to others?

Paintings currently for sale where owner/patron intends to donate a portion or total proceeds to this endowment:

All paintings may be viewed in person in the lobby of Bennies Cleaners, 126 N First Street, Rockford, during their regular business hours (M-F 7:00am - 5:30pm).
Send an email to deborahlnewtonlegacy@icloud.com to make an offer to purchase (which may be below, equal to, or above the current patron established value).

Unity  1979/January 73"h x 49"w $2500 value minimum bid/reserve: none, make an offer	And baby Makes Three 1991/April  59"h x 12.5"w $1000 value minimum bid/reserve: $700

Brief Background and Biography of Deborah L. Newton

Deborah had not yet experienced or explored her expression through art, but she had an interest.

• In 1956 at the age of 14 in the summer between her 7th and 8th grades at Lincoln Junior High School Deborah received the Katherine Lord Scholarship to take art classes at the Burpee Museum of Art, now known as the Rockford Art Museum (RAM). A seed was sown.

"It should be noted that artwork done by students is a first experience in creating. It is the first offering that may entice and expand the student into artist. The legacy of this experience is to express, explore, and do art." - Deborah Newton, 1986

• In 1973, following participation in and awards from many regional art exhibitions, Deborah made her first painting sale at RAM's Greenwich Village Art Fair. This sale sprouted into hundreds of "I paint what I feel, not what I see" canvases, which found homes in many Rockford residences and businesses. 

Though primarily self-taught, tutelage from Pat Crew, Andrew Langoussis, and Tom Heflin resulted in Deborah's growth as a painter and artist.

In 1984, as an "urban adventurer" , Deborah's commitment to full-time art-making and establishing her roots in an artist's dreamy sky-lit studio on Market Street (sketch at right) in downtown Rockford led not only to expression of personal joy in her own work, it allowed her to "create a place where art, the artist, and the public become one". The building included tenant spaces for resident artists and creative professionals and a 501(c)3 guest gallery that, over 21 years, hosted 80+ exhibitions for hundreds of visual artists. She was sowing seeds of opportunity and interest in the visual arts for other artists and the community at large.

With roots established and feeling whole, her recognition began to flourish.

• By 1988 her paintings were in over 500 local and national homes and offices. 
• In 1990 she received an award for her development of 317 Market Street at the 4th annual River District Heart of Rockford Awards.
• In 1992 she received a personal commitment award at the 6th annual River District Heart of Rockford Awards.
• In 1992, as first recipient of nine annual Jessica Holt Purchase Awards, painting Red on the Roof I (July 1991) (pictured below/right) became part of the permanent collection at RAM.
• 

“My life as an artist is deeply rooted in Rockford. The seeds were sown as an eighth grader when I was awarded a scholarship for art classes at Rockford Art Museum, then known as the Burpee Art Museum. My first painting sold years later at RAM’s Greenwich Village Art Fair, sprouting into hundreds of canvases – finding homes in many Rockford homes and businesses. Making the commitment to full-time art and establishing my roots in a dreamy sky-lit studio downtown on Market Street, has given me such joy…and now this award – the first annual Jessica Holt Purchase Award, which places Red on the Roof I in the permanent collection of Rockford Art Museum. I am thrilled and honored. Honored to be a part of Jessica Holt’s gift to the community of artists, and thrilled to be able in my lifetime to see my visual expression grow and bloom. To reach one other person inspires and sustains my work. I am enriched by this generosity.”

- Deborah L. Newton, 1992

• By 1992 she had received 38 art awards.
• In 1993 she was the recipient of the YWCA Leader Luncheon Blanche Ellis Star Award for the Arts.
• By 1994 her paintings were in over 900 private collections including 34 corporate customers.
• In 1996 she was the recipient of top honor at the 8th annual City of Rockford Mayor's Arts Awards.
• In 2004 she was the commissioned artist for the 16th annual City of Rockford Mayor's Arts Awards.
• By 2012 over 1700 of her paintings were part of private individual and corporate collections nationally.
• In 2019 she verbally speculated she may have sold or gifted up to 3000 paintings in her lifetime.
• In 2021 she posthumously was the recipient of the Rockford Area Arts Council (RAAC) Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.

For a more detailed Wikipedia-style biography click Deborah Newton Biography.

Slide show and top and bottom banner paintings (Left to Right)

Top: Tulips, 1971; sunny, September 1980; night quilt, May 1988; Healing series - applewalk, October 1992

Bottom: Let's Make it Happen, February 1997; nest, January 2004; DeceMBer Love Series - 'together', November 2007; see Love SMiLiNG, April 2015