Abigail Newman Wins Big with Bold, Colorful Self-Portraits
- Lukumi Arlota
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Emerging artist Abigail Newman has captured the spotlight after winning the Audience Choice Award at The Popcorn Easel Art Show: Columbia Edition, a recognition that highlights both her technical skill and her deeply personal, imaginative approach to art.
Newman’s featured works—two striking self-portrait pieces—invited viewers into intimate, emotional spaces shaped by color, memory, and experimentation. Each piece centers on a solitary female figure surrounded by elements of nature, yet the emotional tone of each diverges: one soft and contemplative, the other vivid and almost kinetic.
At the heart of Newman’s practice is a willingness to explore identity through self-portraiture. Rather than striving for strict realism, she embraces creative freedom. “I like drawing self-portraits because they give me room to experiment,” she explains. “I don’t feel as pressured to make everything perfectly accurate—since it’s my own face, I can exaggerate or change things however I want without worrying about how someone else might react.”
This freedom is evident in her attention to expressive features—eyes, noses, and hands—which often become focal points in her compositions. Her work balances careful observation with playful distortion, creating figures that feel both personal and universal.
Color also plays a defining role in Newman’s visual language. One of her pieces, Orange You Glad to See Me, uses warm tones and symbolic elements like fruit and flowers to evoke nurturing, almost sacred imagery. In contrast, Color Me! pulses with raw energy, layered with bold marks and lively movement. Despite their differences, both works share a sense of curiosity and childlike wonder.
“I think I’m drawn to making my artwork colorful and childlike,” Newman says. “In a lot of my drawings I’ll add little ‘doodles’ to them… I’ve always been interested in illustrating cartoons or children's books, so I’d say my work definitely reflects that interest—without even realizing it.”
Her influences range from classical art to early 20th-century painters, but just as significant are the creative sparks from her own life. As a child, Newman spent hours on a Nintendo DSi using Flipnote Studio to create animations—an experience that ignited her passion for drawing and storytelling. Today, that same sense of play continues to inform her work, even as she pursues a degree in Animation and Motion Graphics.
Family support has also been central to her artistic journey. She credits her younger brother for pushing her beyond her comfort zone and encouraging her to share her work publicly, while her sister—an artist herself—reminds her to stay playful and prolific. These influences, combined with memories of encouragement from friends and loved ones, form an emotional foundation that subtly underpins her art.
When it comes to capturing emotion, Newman keeps her process simple and intuitive. She often photographs herself experimenting with different expressions, choosing those that feel most compelling to translate into her drawings. The result is artwork that feels honest and immediate, resonating strongly with viewers—as evidenced by her Audience Choice win.
Ultimately, Newman hopes her work leaves a lasting impression not through complexity, but through feeling. “I hope they decide to add color into their life wherever they can,” she says.
With her recent recognition at The Popcorn Easel Art Show, Abigail Newman is proving that sincerity, experimentation, and a touch of playfulness can deeply connect with audiences—and that her artistic voice is one to watch.
Lukumi Arlota – Contributing Writer
Lukumi Arlota is a mental health advocate, black empowerment activist, public speaker, and business owner.
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