Tom Dewitt
(American, b.1947-2021)
Anglo Santa Fe artist Tom Dewitt is known for creating “old style” silver pieces. He is inspired by silverwork from the 1880’s-1940’s. Tom’s work regularly is mistaken for being much older than it is.
Tom has been creating retro-style jewelry for over four decades and his work is represented in galleries around the country.
THOMAS DEWITT OBITUARY
THOMAS O'DELL DEWITT
Thomas O'Dell DeWitt – known as Dewey, passed away at home in Santa Fe on June 10 after a hard battle with cancer. His son Matthew DeWitt had been by his side for 24 days. Tom was known for the beautiful silver jewelry and art that he made, the "gift of gab," original one-liners, his generosity, loving nature, and his positive attitude from his Christian Science upbringing.
Tom was born in Michigan and raised in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Venice High in 1965. He began his silver- smith career directly after school while also working as a lighting technician for major venues in L.A. during the wave of the 1960's psychedelic rock & roll concerts. He eventually landed a job with Fox Studios working as an electrician for long-running TV series' such as M.A.S.H., Dragnet, The Love Boat, and others. He also worked on some big films; The Doors, Lonesome Dove, Natural Born Killers, The Missing, and others. He made frequent trips to Santa Fe starting when he was 21 to buy and sell jewelry, trade and pick up tools.
He made New Mexico his home in the 1970s settling in Pojoaque as a silversmith also returning to L.A. for work in the movie and TV business. He was one of the original "Anglo Silversmiths" in New Mexico and a trader. He called his jewelry "old pawn while you wait" because it looked like the old Native American jewelry found in pawn shops. He had a special relationship with the Zuni Pueblo and revered the culture and artistic styles of the Native American silversmiths and artisans.
He sold to major galleries in Santa Fe and had a line with Ralph Lauren in the early 2000s. He was extremely talented and people from all over the world collected his work. Tom was a silversmith for 52 years making over 20,000 pieces of southwestern and cowboy style jewelry and art.
He met and married his second wife Frances Sayre in Pecos in 1994 and had a son, Matthew DeWitt. He also took under his wing, Frances' son, William McLean. Although the marriage did not last they continued to raise the boys together and remain friends.
Tom is survived by his son Matthew DeWitt of Santa Fe, stepson William McLean of Medford, OR, and niece Laurie DeWitt of Los Angeles. He was preceded in death by his mother Virginia DeWitt, CSP and his father Edgar Beverly DeWitt.
