Newt
thomas
is an
enigma.
Join me, art historian Kelly Wacker, on a research investigation to discover and document the life and work of Newton M. Thomas–Lyons, Colorado’s most famous unknown artist.
What is this project?
Read the first post here.
Latest Blog Posts
- A Better (but not yet complete) BiographyUntil now, the only biography of Newt is found in Denise Berg’s, Piecing a Town Together: Families of Lyons Colorado, published in 2010. It is short and contains some inaccuracies. Newton ThomasSeptember 17, 1860-July 18, 1940 Newt Thomas came to Lyons from Indiana. Mr. Thomas had a talent for painting and through the years he could be seen in the vicinity of the town industriously… Read more: A Better (but not yet complete) Biography
- Building a biographyBiography is one of the oldest art historical approaches. In Renaissance Italy, the 16th-century artist and writer, Giorgio Vasari paved the way for artist biographies when he wrote about some of his artistic contemporaries, including Michelangelo and Leonardo, in The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters and Sculptors. The book helped rocket them into art superstardom and, over 500 years later, it remains a useful source… Read more: Building a biography
- Notes from a recent visit to Lyons: stories about Newt, a new painting recorded, and a promise madeWhile recently visiting my parents in Fort Morgan, in rural northeastern Colorado, I planned a day to drive to Lyons with my mother as my travel partner to meet Monique, the Lyons Redstone Museum Collections Manager, to give her a research update and to check out a few things around town. The tips of the Rocky Mountain peaks to the West are just barely visible… Read more: Notes from a recent visit to Lyons: stories about Newt, a new painting recorded, and a promise made
Follow on Instagram @newt_thomas_project

About Me
Hi, I’m Kelly Wacker.
I’m a university professor, art historian, writer, and naturalist who is deeply curious about art and nature, and how we meaningfully connect with it.
The project is made possible with support by the University of Montevallo and the Lyons Redstone Museum.
Do you have questions, comments, or information about Newt Thomas or his paintings? Please contact me!
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