LEMUEL NEWTON
(1950-2014)
Lemuel Newton was born in Tifton, Georgia and was the younger brother of Harold and Sam Newton. He and Willie Daniels began by working with Alfred Hair, preparing Upson boards. The lure of making money as an artist was strong so Lem began painting.
Lem's main influences were clearly Harold and Sam. He greatly admired his older brother, once commenting to Highwaymen biographer Gary Monroe, “Sam and I wouldn’t know nothing about painting if it weren’t for Harold. All the painters wouldn’t know nothing about painting if it weren’t for Harold, including Alfred Hair.” While the statement about Alfred isn’t exactly correct, it demonstrates the importance of Harold in Lemuel Newton’s life.
Like his brothers, Lemuel Newton cares about the quality of his paintings. His colors can be bold and striking. Confident with a brush and a palette knife, his work looks impressionistic, as if he were capturing a vibrant moment in time.
Biographies are adapted from those on thehighwaymentrail.com, one of the earliest informative websites on the Florida Highwaymen. Since the site is no longer active, we have provided them here.
