Queer Places:
261 Gallery, 261 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701
Ruby Warren Newby (July 28, 1886 – February 22, 1952) was well known in Arizona art circles for many years. She was an artist and educator. Her primary medium was painting, and she specialized in landscapes while teaching block-printing courses.
Ruby Warren was born in Goff, Kansas, the daughter of Wilbur Warren, who gave Orange County a large tract of land, known as Warren Park. She attended schools in Kansas City, MO, and received a degree of bachelor of science in education at Southern College, Lakeland, FL, where she was a pupil of Kathryn Cherry. She was part of the Gamma Phi sorority. She later studied at Rollins college and took special work under a Carnegie foundation scholarship. She was also a pupil of Everett Warner, R.P. Ensign, Ernest Watson, Will Taylor, Gustave Cimiatti, and Merlin Pease.
Newby moved to Florida about 1920 from Kansas City, Mo. She served as director of the Southern States Art league and started the Orlando Art Association in 1924. She was one of the active, enthusiastic and creative contributors to its early growth. She was also instrumental in the founding of the Florida Federation of Art Clubs in the local association in 1927, while she was president of the Orlando Art Association. Later, she held other executive offices in both the groups.
From 1934 to 1936 Newby was art supervisor under the public works administration in New York City. Newby also taught art at Rollins college, Winter Park, FL, for a number of years and headed its art department of Southern and Rollins colleges. She had a studio in Orlando. In Tucson, where she moved in 1946, she was active in its art world for a number of years, teaching art and art appreciation. She taught art both at Reddington and at Amphitheater schools. She was a member of the board of directors of the Tucson Fine Arts Society and of the Tucson Festival committee. She opened the 261 Gallery, 261 N. Court Street, in Tucson, in 1948. The gallery remained opened briefly after Newby’s death, and closed in 1953.
She was a writer, as well as artist, having published numerous articles on art education.
She died on February 22, 1952, in Tucson from injuries suffered in an automobile accident the autumn before. She was buried in Kansas City.
Many of her papers are available at the Arizona Historical Society Library.
Exhibited: SSAL, 1928
Solo exhibits:
Newby is also connected with Isabella Greenway.
My published books:
