In the year 1827, Newsam started to make art as an apprentice to a printmaker named Cephas G. Childs. Newsam had a lot of artists who taught him when he worked for Childs. One of the artists was George Catlin. Newsam started making art all the time as an artist in 1829. His pictures were published and sold for money. Childs retired and another man named Peter S. Duvall became owner of the company. Newsam worked for him and became the main artist at the company.