Newman holds a Master of Fine Arts (Painting, Printmaking) and Bachelor of Arts (Art Education) from the University of Kansas and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (Illustration) from Columbus College of Art and Design. He has also studied at the Kansas City Art Institute.

Newman is the recipient of several fellowships, grants and commissions including the National Endowment for the Arts--Visual Arts Fellowship (1985), Ford Foundation Scholarship (1970, 1971), Kansas Arts Commission--Assistant in Collaboration Lithography (1985, 1986) Ohio Arts Commission--Ohio Arts Council Summer Fellowship for Teachers of the Arts (1989), and the University of Arkansas African-American Faculty Development Grant (1992, 1994).

John L Newman has presented his artwork in numerous group and solo exhibitions throughout the United States and in Jamaica and Macedonia. His art is held in the permanent collections of the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas, City, Missouri; the Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence, Kansas; the Museum of African-American Life and Culture, Dallas, Texas; and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, School of Law.

"Caretakers" will be on display in the Fine Arts Library through September 30, 2008.