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The 49 Most Famous Alma Thomas Paintings, a Gallery Selection
Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 56 works by Alma Thomas in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Alma Thomas left, the most famous is Earth Sermon Beauty, Love And Peace (1971). Close behind it come The Stormy Sea (1958) and Light Blue Nursery (1968). Our catalog holds 56 works by Alma Thomas; the gallery has kept the 49 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
1891 – 1978, Columbus
Abstract expressionism
Most works: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Alma Thomas's top 10 paintings: the gallery's choice
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Light Blue Nursery
To stand before Alma Thomas’s "Light Blue Nursery" is to step into a vibrant dreamscape, a place where pure color sings and structure finds joyous release. This painting, executed in 1968, is not merely an arrangement of hues; it is a celebration of childhood wonder filtered through the masterful hand of an artist whose life was itself a testament to enduring spirit. The composition immediately arrests the eye with its…
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Celestial Fantasy
To gaze upon Celestial Fantasy is to step through a veil into a dreamscape painted with the most delicate touch. Alma Thomas, an artist whose life was a vibrant exploration of color, captured here not merely a view of the heavens, but the very sensation of looking up at them—a moment suspended between wakefulness and wonder. This piece, dating from 1973, exemplifies her mature style, moving beyond mere representation into…
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Etude in Blue
Educated at Howard University and Columbia University, Alma Thomas was associated with the Washington Color School, which also included her contemporaries such as Morris Louis and Sam Gilliam. Thomas was a champion of abstraction as an expressive art form that she believed could transcend specific politics, and chose her imagery and palette in repsonse to nature and scientific phenomena and advancements. Etude in Blue exemplifies a transition from her earlier…
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Snoopy Sees Earth Wrapped in Sunset
In the vibrant masterpiece Snoopy Sees Earth Wrapped in Sunset, the legendary Alma Thomas invites us into a rhythmic, cosmic exploration of light and warmth. Created in 1970, this work serves as a breathtaking testament to the power of abstraction to evoke profound emotional responses. At first glance, the eye is drawn into a mesmerizing circular composition, where a radiant core of sun-drenched yellow bleeds softly into deep, passionate reds.…
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The Alma Thomas selection continues, 11 to 49
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Red Abstraction1959
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Watusi (Hard Edge)1963
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Wind Dancing with Spring Flowers1969
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Breeze Rustling Through Fall Flowers1968 · The Phillips Collection
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Light Blue Nursery1968 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Cherry Blossom Symphony1968 · The Studio Museum in Harlem
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Springtime in Washington1971
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Fiery Sunset1973
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A Fantastic Sunset1970
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Gray Night1972 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Snow Reflections on Pond1973
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Wind and Crepe Myrtle Concerto1973
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Arboretum Presents White Dogwood1972
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Gray Night1972
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White Daisies Rhapsody1973
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Elysian Fields1973
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Aquatic Gardens1973
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Spring Grass1973
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Atmospheric Effects I1970
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Grey Night Phenomenon1972
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The Eclipse1970
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Atmospheric Effects II1971
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Red Sunset, Old Pond Concerto1972
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Snoopy Early Sun Display on Earth1970
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Antares1972
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White Roses Sing and Sing1976
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Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music1976
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Before Autumn1974
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Fall Begins1976
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Grassy Melodic Chant1976
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Delightful Song by Red Dahlia1976
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Deep Blue1974
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Oriental Garden Concerto1976
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Untitled (Music Series)1978
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Autumn Leaves Fluttering in the Breeze1973
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Untitled
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Late Night Reflections1972 · Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
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Untitled1970 · The Kinsey African American Art - History Collection
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Sky Light1973
Red Abstraction1959
12Watusi (Hard Edge)1963
13Wind Dancing with Spring Flowers1969
14Breeze Rustling Through Fall Flowers1968 · The Phillips Collection
15Light Blue Nursery1968 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
16Cherry Blossom Symphony1968 · The Studio Museum in Harlem
17Springtime in Washington1971
18Fiery Sunset1973
19A Fantastic Sunset1970
20Gray Night1972 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
21Snow Reflections on Pond1973
22Wind and Crepe Myrtle Concerto1973
23Arboretum Presents White Dogwood1972
24Gray Night1972
25White Daisies Rhapsody1973
26Elysian Fields1973
27Aquatic Gardens1973
28Spring Grass1973
29Atmospheric Effects I1970
30Grey Night Phenomenon1972
31The Eclipse1970
32Atmospheric Effects II1971
33Red Sunset, Old Pond Concerto1972
34Snoopy Early Sun Display on Earth1970
35Antares1972
36White Roses Sing and Sing1976
37Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music1976
38Before Autumn1974
39Fall Begins1976
40Grassy Melodic Chant1976
41Delightful Song by Red Dahlia1976
42Deep Blue1974
43Oriental Garden Concerto1976
44Untitled (Music Series)1978
45Autumn Leaves Fluttering in the Breeze1973
46Untitled
47Late Night Reflections1972 · Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
48Untitled1970 · The Kinsey African American Art - History Collection
49Sky Light1973
The subjects that held Alma Thomas's eye
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
Geometric design 4 works
Geometric abstraction 2 works
Patterned design 2 works
Patterned artwork 2 works
The museums that keep Alma Thomas's originals
The 6 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Alma Thomas | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 5 | Light Blue Nursery, Celestial Fantasy, Red Abstraction |
 The Studio Museum in Harlem |
New York City | 2 | Untitled, Cherry Blossom Symphony |
 SCAD Museum of Art |
Savannah | 1 | Etude in Blue |
 The Phillips Collection |
Washington, D.C. | 1 | Breeze Rustling Through Fall Flowers |
 Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University |
Durham | 1 | Late Night Reflections |
 The Kinsey African American Art - History Collection |
Los Angeles | 1 | Untitled |
Alma Thomas decade by decade: the original that defines each
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
1960s
Light Blue Nursery
Age 69 – 78
9 works this decade
To stand before Alma Thomas’s "Light Blue Nursery" is to step into a vibrant dreamscape, a place where pure color sings and structure finds joyous release. This painting, executed in 1968, is not merely an arrangement of hues; it is a celebration of childhood wonder filtered through the masterful hand of an artist whose life was itself a testament to enduring spirit. The composition immediately arrests the eye with its…
Collectors' questions about Alma Thomas's paintings
Which work is Alma Thomas most famous for?Reveal the answer
Earth Sermon Beauty, Love And Peace (1971). The Stormy Sea (1958) and Light Blue Nursery (1968) come next.
What age was Alma Thomas when Earth Sermon Beauty, Love And Peace was made?Reveal the answer
80 years old: Earth Sermon Beauty, Love And Peace dates from 1971, and Alma Thomas was born in 1891.
What are the ten most famous Alma Thomas paintings?Reveal the answer
Earth Sermon Beauty, Love And Peace, The Stormy Sea, Light Blue Nursery, Celestial Fantasy, Joe Summerford's Still Life Study, Etude in Blue, Snoopy Sees Earth Wrapped in Sunset, Red Abstraction, Blue and Brown Still Life and Untitled. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
How many paintings did Alma Thomas leave?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 56 works by Alma Thomas, dated from 1952 to 1978.
In which museums do Alma Thomas's masterpieces hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.), The Studio Museum in Harlem (New York City) and SCAD Museum of Art (Savannah). The museum table above lists them all.
In which years did Alma Thomas paint the most famous works?Reveal the answer
In 1970s: 35 of the 49 works on this page were made then, Earth Sermon Beauty, Love And Peace among them.
What are the first and the last famous originals of Alma Thomas?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Joe Summerford's Still Life Study (1952) and the latest Untitled (Music Series) (1978).
Which subjects did Alma Thomas choose most often?Reveal the answer
Geometric design (4), Geometric abstraction (2) and Patterned design (2), across the 49 works on this page.
Which technique did Alma Thomas use most?Reveal the answer
Painting, for 3 of the 49 works on this page.
To which art movement does Alma Thomas belong?Reveal the answer
Abstract expressionism and Washington color school, judging by the originals on this page.
Which Alma Thomas works hang at the Smithsonian American Art Museum?Reveal the answer
Light Blue Nursery, Celestial Fantasy and Red Abstraction: the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. holds 5 of the works on this page.
Alma Thomas: life and work
Alma Thomas: A Life in Color
Early Life and Education
- Born: 1891 in Columbus, Georgia, Alma Woodsey Thomas was the eldest of four children. Her parents were John Harris Thomas, a businessman, and Amelia Cantey Thomas, a dress designer.
- The family relocated to the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in 1907 due to racial violence and seeking better educational opportunities.
- Early Artistic Inclinations: From a young age, Thomas displayed artistic talent, creating puppets and sculptures at home.
- She attended Armstrong Technical High School, taking her first formal art classes.
- Thomas pursued education at Miner Normal School (later University of the District of Columbia) from 1911 to 1913, focusing on kindergarten education.
Career as an Educator
- Thomas began her career as a substitute teacher in Maryland before securing a permanent position in 1914.
- From 1916 to 1923, she taught kindergarten at the Thomas Garrett Settlement House in Wilmington, Delaware.
- In 1921, she enrolled at Howard University as a home economics student but soon switched her focus to fine art under James V. Herring.
- Groundbreaking Graduate: She earned her B.S. in Fine Arts from Howard University in 1924, becoming the first graduate of the university’s fine arts program.
- Thomas dedicated over three decades to teaching at Shaw Junior High School (1924-1960), fostering a community arts program that included marionette performances and student-designed holiday cards for veterans.
- She earned her M.A. in Art Education from Columbia University in 1934, and continued studies at American University under Jacob Kainen (1950-1960).
Artistic Development & Influences
- Early Style: Thomas’s early work was representational, but her style evolved towards abstraction through studies with Herring and Lois Mailou Jones.
- Key Influences: She drew inspiration from West African paintings, Byzantine mosaics, and the color field movement.
- Her exposure to the work of the New York School and Abstract Expressionism at American University significantly impacted her artistic direction.
- She was inspired by Matisse’s cutouts, notably reinterpreting “The Snail” in her painting “Watusi (Hard Edge).”
Mature Work & Artistic Style
- Color Field Paintings: Thomas became known for her vibrant, abstract color field paintings characterized by pattern, rhythm, and bold use of color.
- Her work often reflected themes inspired by nature, space, and music.
- Notable Works: Include “Watusi (Hard Edge),” “Celestial Fantasy,” “Wind and Crepe Myrtle Concerto,” and “Sky Light.”
- She frequently sought inspiration from the effects of light and atmosphere on rural environments, often driving into the countryside with friend Delilah Pierce.
Recognition & Legacy
- Late Recognition: Thomas gained significant recognition after her retirement from teaching in 1960.
- Her first retrospective exhibit was held at the Gallery of Art at Howard University in 1966, curated by James A. Porter.
- Groundbreaking Exhibition: In 1972, she became the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in the same year.
- Thomas passed away in 1978, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering artist who defied labels and embraced her creative vision.
- Historical Significance: Alma Thomas’s work challenged racial barriers within the art world and contributed significantly to the development of abstract expressionism and color field painting.