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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.