“When one paints, neither youth nor age doth enter in.” Dorothy Newkirk Stewart
We are shaped by the stories we inherit. Passed down from generation to generation, the lives of our ancestors contain the DNA for who we are today. Sometimes, those stories are nearly forgotten, buried at the bottom of an antique trunk—waiting to be brought back into the light. Dorothy Newkirk Stewart was one such person. I didn’t know who she was until I was nearly thirty, after decades of soul-searching to undertand myself. With the chance discovery of Dorothy’s artwork, tucked out of sight behind musty sweaters and skeins of wool, I not only uncovered a family treasure, I began a journey that would lead to healing and recovery. In that journey, I learned the importance of preserving ancestral narratives.(To learn more, go to Step 1. Uncovering Forgotten Art: The Legacy of DNS)
Dorothy was my great grand-aunt, an early 20th-century Santa Fe artist and printmaker whose life was woven into the tapestry of the legendary arts community of Santa Fe. While more familiar names like Georgia O’Keeffe reverberates loudly through New Mexico’s canyons, Dorothy’s voice echoes like quiet laughter on a spring breeze. Rather than taking her place on the walls of Santa Fe’s museums, she left her signature on plaster walls, blocks of wood, and archival hand-printed books, helping to build the city’s vibrant creativity alongside peers like Gustave Baumann, Olive Rush, and Mary Austin.
However, her contributions helped shape the artistic spirit of the “City Different” while never seeking fame. Locals in Santa Fe might recognize her name from the Dorothy Stewart Trail that winds through the piñon-dotted hills above the city, but there is so much more to discover about the woman behind the name.
I invite you to join me in my journey to Discover Dorothy.