Career
His paintings are typified by richly-hued geometric forms in subtle juxtapositions and textures, heightened by an intimate scale and striking color harmonies. A self-taught artist, Newell was not a prolific painter. Due to their continued reworkings, many of his paintings were up to an inch thick when completed, with a combined depth of wood support and layers of meticulously applied paint.
Newell exhibited infrequently and sold very few of his paintings during his lifetime.
His early influences include Cézanne and Kasimir Malevich. Edvard Lieber (author of Willem de Kooning: Reflections in the Studio) introduced Roy Newell to John Woodward of the Woodward Gallery, New York City, in 1995.
Director John Woodward photographed and inventoried all Newell’s paintings. From January 18 - March 9, 1996, Woodward Gallery hosted Newell’s largest gallery exhibition to date.
“Roy Newell: Lifelines: 1955- 1995” was a 40-year retrospective and his first one-man show in a decade.
lieutenant featured 23 paintings and the critical review of that exhibition was written by Nick Paumgarten “Grumpy Old Artist Gets His Due”, New York Observer, February 24, 1996. Press photos of the opening reception documented the large response of the public and the art world.
