Lola Newell
December 1934 – August 2026
Tribute
Lola Newell
December 1934 – August 2026
Lola was born in the small farming community of Renwick, IA. She married James W. Newell in 1953 in Golden, CO. Mr. Newell
worked for the oil industry as a geophysicist for oil exploration, which led the family to move every two to four years.
Lola began her art endeavors painting in oil while living in Denver in the 1960s. Then after moving to California in the late 60s, Lola
took up various crafts.
In 1970, the family was transferred to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where Mr. Newell worked in the Arctic Island region. During their
time in Calgary, Lola returned to painting in oil.
In 1972, they moved back to the US to Richardson, TX, so their son Tom could finish high school in the U.S.
She began her watercolor painting experience after moving to Texas where she joined Southwestern Watercolor Society in May 1974. She took and taught workshop classes including some art classes at Richland Community College. She also began working
with digital photography in the 1990s and added mixed media collage to her repertoire in the 2000s while taking classes at
Collin County College.
She entered and placed in many SWS exhibitions earning the SWS Signature status and was believed to be the oldest living
Signature Member at the time of her death. She spent her lifetime in creative endeavors – painting, refinishing furniture, sewing clothes and costumes for her sons’ drama classes and programs. She handmade many puppets for her sons to use for puppet shows (many Disney themed characters such as Peter Pan and other familiar characters) at school and community events.
Following her husband’s death in 2013, she moved to Denton in 2015 to be closer to her son Tom and daughter-in-law Dallas. She then became part of the vibrant Denton art community where she joined VAST and continued her lifelong love of learning.
She took several UNT OLLI (lifelong learning classes) on the subjects of art and history. She researched her family genealogy
extensively traveling to Switzerland and Europe. She expanded her media from watercolor to collage while perfecting her
photography skills as well.
A highlight for Lola was the annual two-week paint out in Kerrville in January. The group consisted of her former classmates at
Collin County Community College. They always rented a studio complex and a B&B on the Guadalupe and celebrated Lola’s
birthday in the evenings at various local restaurants to see how
many free desserts they could score.
She took classes in Denton with Darla Bostick both locally and also attended Darla’s workshop at Ghost Ranch, NM, and. she
also attended one of Jo Williams’ Caddo Lake workshops.
The Denton Art Room honored Lola on her 90th birthday with a private exhibition and sale with a large gathering of friends,
colleagues and relatives from out of state.
Lola was very active with the Plano Heritage Farmstead Museum during their time in Richardson. She oversaw the Volunteer Run
“Store” that sold many handmade items & crafts of interest to visitors of the museum.
No services are planned at this time. A Memorial Service may occur in the future. Per her wishes her body was donated to UT
Southwestern Medical’s Willed Body Program to support research into Alzheimer’s, the disease that took the life of both her parents.
"Lola was a force to be reckoned with...so much energy."
Darla Bostick
"I will remember her for her talent, warm smile, and most of all,
her sweet spirit."
Jo Williams
"Lola always gave so much time and energy to helping others.
One of my friends commented “when she (the friend) died, she
wanted to come back as something of Lola’s.” Lola was always
thinking of her friends and she might help them. "
Nel Dorn Byrd
Biography source: Tom Newell
Compiled and edited: Jo Williams