Dorothy Newkirk Stewart was a force in the Santa Fe Artist Colony and a vibrant, central presence on Canyon Road during the height of its creative awakening. Born in Philadelphia and classically trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Stewart’s move to New Mexico in 1925 represented a radical embrace of the "City Different." Her career was marked by a relentless curiosity, moving seamlessly between the worlds of painting, fresco, printmaking, and independent publishing, while also serving the community as a dedicated gallery director.

The sisters' impact on Santa Fe was both creative and structural. While Dorothy focused on her artistic output, her sister Margretta Dietrich became a titan of local preservation. It was Margretta who purchased El Zaguán specifically to protect the historic property from redevelopment, ensuring its survival as the cultural landmark that now serves as the home of the Historic Santa Fe Foundation.

Dorothy herself was a woman of legendary ingenuity and mechanical resourcefulness. In 1931, she transformed a small Austin coupe into a custom "pioneer wagon" for annual pilgrimages to Mexico. These journeys fueled her imagination and brought her into the inner circle of the great modern muralists, including Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco. Her professional legacy included membership in the WPA Artist Collective and the founding of Pictograph Press, one of the first private printing presses in the Southwest operated by a woman.

Beyond her craft, Dorothy built her own studio, Galeria Mexicana, located just behind the El Zaguán property. There, she hosted the community for concerts, shadow puppet plays, and lectures—creating a vibrant cultural creative hub.

Stewart’s life concluded as it was lived—with a deep love for the spirit of Mexico. In her final days in 1955, while seeking care in Mexico with writer, advocate, and photographer Maria Chabot.