Washington, D.C. painter and art educator Alma Thomas (1891-1978) was known for her abstract paintings filled with dense patterns of color, and was considered a major artist of the Washington Color School. A second work from Alma Thomas’ early artistic years is, (1963), named after a Chubby Checker song. Alma Thomas was an important role model for women, African-American artists, and older artists (she was recognized for her paintings after her retirement from teaching). March on Washington by Alma Thomas, 1964, via Studio Museum Harlem, Unlike other African-American artists in the 1960s, the abstract artist decided not to make explicitly political art. Besides writing, it is my passion to read, travel and visit museums and galleries. Alma Thomas Painting Owned By Bill Cosby Is Being Sold Christie's announced that it would sell a brilliantly hued painting by the artist Alma Thomas at its New York postwar and contemporary night sale one month from now. Alma Thomas passed away on February 24, 1978, but her influence has continued to grow. Or. Today, the artist, who has spent most of her life in Washington D.C., is famous as an important pioneer of abstract art in the U.S.A. This is a painting in oil on canvas, which is captivating in its colorfulness, but by no means as radiant as Alma Thomas’ later works. As a reminder: in the U.S.A., segregation still applied at the beginning of the 20th century. Alma Thomas has taken the forms from Matisse’s cut-out and brought them on canvas in a different arrangement and color. (1972) – a critical and polemical response to the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. See more ideas about alma thomas, american art, teaching art. It is of all ages, of every land, and if by this we mean the creative spirit in man which produces a picture or a statue is common to the whole civilized world, independent of age, race and nationality, the statement may stand unchallenged.”. Thomas taught art to junior high school students in Washington for more than thirty years, postponing any serious paintin… There is a historical event that apparently had such a great influence on Thomas that she dedicated a whole series of paintings to the event. The series is called. Alma Thomas (1891–1978) is best known for her signature colorful abstract paintings. Alma Woodsey Thomas was an American painter best known for her colorful, abstract compositions. The woman, who due to her skin color and background was not allowed to visit exhibitions and museums as a young girl, was honored with a solo exhibition at the age of 81 in one of the most renowned museums in the world. The African-American artist Alma Thomas, a devout abstractionist and lesser-known member of the Washington Color School group, didn't start painting until she was in her 70s, nor receive wide-spread recognition until after her death in 1978 — and even then, it was relatively short-lived. This was the first solo exhibition of works by an African-American woman ever held at that museum. Thomas is best known for the "exuberant," colorful, abstract paintings that she created after her retirement from a 35-year career teaching art at Washington's Shaw Junior High School. I am researching, writing and lecturing on topics in the field of art and culture. Get to know the pioneer of abstraction in 6 facts and 10 colorful abstract paintings. Soon the artist was seen in a row with artists such as Morris Louis, Gene Davis and others who since the 1950s and had belonged to a movement called the Washington Color Field School. The style is also much less rhythmic. 1895, Columbus, GA) was a black American abstract-expressionist painter and educator whose paintings truly are a marvel to behold. Thomas was actively involved in the local arts community, and become associated with the Washington Color School. Alma Thomas herself made the event itself a symbol of the changing times by saying on the occasion of the vernissage at the Whitney Museum: “One of the things we couldn’t do was go into museums, let alone think of hanging our pictures there. As such, the nature of her homeland also remained an inspiration to her until her death in 1978. Iris, Tulips, Jonquils, and Crocuses by Alma Thomas, 1969, via National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C. (left); with Wind and Crepe Myrtle Concerto by Alma Thomas, 1973), via Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. (right). The current exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated color catalogue featuring a newly transcribed and previously unpublished oral history interview with the artist. Alma Woodsey Thomas, Fiery Sunset, 1973, acrylic on canvas, 41 1/4 x 41 1/4″ (104.8 x 104.8 cm) Alma Thomas, Stars and Their Display, 1972, acrylic on canvas, 22 x 27 inches Alma Thomas (b. Alma Thomas Alma Thomas, Pansies in Washington, 1969, acrylic on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Vincent Melzac), 2015.19.144 Alma Thomas loved to explore color—which she did as an artist and art teacher, teaching in Washington, DC, public schools for over thirty-five years. In the following, we will introduce Alma W. Thomas in more detail by means of 6 facts and 10 colorful abstract paintings. African-American Painter Alma Thomas is known for her mosaic-like paintings. The artist Mary Beth Edelson integrated Thomas into her famous work Some Living American Women Artists / Last Supper (1972) – a critical and polemical response to the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. In the following years, … Thomas’s family was well respected in Columbus, and she and her sisters grew up in comfortable surroundings. One example of these colorful abstract paintings is the work Resurrection (1966) that Alma Thomas painted for her first exhibition at the Gallery of Art at Howard University in 1966 together with a series of different nature-inspired works that are known today as Earth Series. (1952 – 53). One of these is Blast Off (1970), an impressive, colorful work, which abstractly reproduces the force of the rocket launch. On TheCollector.com you will find articles by me about art and culture, especially about topics referring to the 20th century and the present. Many of her paintings include only one color or a few colors. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, artist Alma Woodsey Thomas (1891–1978) painted abstractions inspired by moments—from nature viewed through her living room windows to the Apollo Moon landings witnessed on the television screen. She was also the first African-American woman to have a solo exhibition of her work at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art. Alma W. Thomas, Blast Off, 1970, acrylic on canvas, 74 x 54 inches In the late 1960s and early 1970s, artist Alma Woodsey Thomas (1891–1978) painted abstractions inspired by … This was an artists’ movement consisting of Abstract Expressionists who were mainly concerned with color field painting. In her home studio in Washington, DC, she reinterpreted the world around her through color patterns. Gustave Caillebotte: 10 Facts About The Parisian Painter, Classical Greece: The Golden Era (ca. See available paintings, and works on paper for sale and learn about the artist. Alma Woodsey Thomas (September 22, 1891 – February 24, 1978) was an African American Expressionist painter and art educator. Alma Thomas has taken the forms from Matisse’s cut-out and brought them on canvas in a different arrangement and color. Both paintings by Alma W. Thomas seen together, already reveal three important elements of the African-American artist’s style: her path to abstraction, a special colorfulness and the work with geometric forms. Alma Thomas grew up in Columbus, Georgia, then moved to Washington, D.C., in 1907 with her family. Connoisseurs of art history will immediately notice it: In this work, Thomas plays with a famous work by Henri Matisse, The Snail (1952 – 53). Photograph of Alma Thomas at Whitney Museum of American Art exhibition opening, Although Alma Thomas never explicitly referred to, in her work, she was also made a figurehead for feminism in the 1970s. Watusi by Alma Thomas, 1963, via The Phillips Collection. Today, the artist, who has spent most of her life in Washington D.C., is famous as an important pioneer of. Alma Thomas' early work was representational in manner, and then and upon classes at Howard and training under James V. Herring and Lois Mailou Jones her work … The pictures in the series are works in the style typical of Alma Thomas: colorful pictures painted in mosaic technique with the motif of geometric forms. In the following, we will introduce Alma W. Thomas in more detail by means of 6 facts and 10 colorful abstract paintings. In contrast to her colleagues, however, the artist refrained from masking color fields, for example, and instead structured her paintings visibly with a pencil. When Alma Thomas had begun to seriously dedicate herself to her own art in 1960, she was at the end of a 38-year career as an art teacher. Basically, however, the artist dedicated herself to the motif of color in her works. Iris, Tulips, Jonquils, and Crocuses by Alma Thomas, 1969 (left); Portrait of Alma Thomas at the Whitney Museum of Art, via Culture Type (center); and Resurrection by Alma Thomas, 1966 (right), The African-American artist Alma Woodsey Thomas (1891 – 1978) is an unconventional artist figure. Although Georges Seurat can be regarded as the father of Neo-Impressionism, Paul Signac... Annie Leibovitz is one of the most well-known contemporary American photographers. Alma Thomas, Light Blue Nursery, 1968, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum. Alma Thomas was an African-American artist born in Georgia. For hours, Alma Thomas is said to have enjoyed the colors of nature, the light, and the movement of the leaves through the wind at a young age. Although Alma Thomas never explicitly referred to feminism in her work, she was also made a figurehead for feminism in the 1970s. Her paintings show her love of nature and music. She was a member of the Washington Color School. The Georgia native spent most of her life in Washington D.C., where she taught art at Shaw Junior High School for 35 years. In my hometown of Berlin I completed my studies in literature and art history. (1970) in reference to the landing of the astronauts on the moon. In the following years, Alma Thomas gained more and more recognition for her art in artist circles and also among critics. Alma Woodsey Thomas was an American artist and educator whose distinctive color field paintings recall the techniques of Pointillism and Abstract Expressionism while representing an altogether independent artistic vision and body of work. The nature that surrounded the house is said to have made an impression on the later artist at an early age already. In 1907 her family moved to Washington, D.C., seeking relief from the racial violence in the South. This acrylic and graphite on canvas painting was done by Alma Thomas, who was an educator and artist in Washington, D.C. for most of her career. Alma Thomas loved to explore color—which she did as an artist and art teacher in Washington, DC, public schools for over 35 years. Alma Thomas, The Eclipse, 1970, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1978.40.3 The series is called Space or Snoopy – the latter title is an allusion to the name of a vehicle that the astronauts used after landing on the moon. Apollo 12 Splash Down by Alma Thomas, 1970, via Culture Type, This fact about the artist once again highlights her special significance for art history. Like Louis or Davis, Alma Thomas was also interested in dealing with the power and effect of color. Alma Thomas was the first African-American woman to be featured in the White House art collection; the first African-American woman to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art; the first person to graduate from Howard University with a degree in Fine Art. Soon the artist was seen in a row with artists such as Morris Louis, Gene Davis and others who since the 1950s and had belonged to a movement called the, This was an artists’ movement consisting of. How Jaume Plensa’s Sculptures Exist Between Dream and Reality? Enjoy this informational video honoring the amazing work and life of African American Artist, Alma Woodsey Thomas. She lived and worked primarily in Washington, D.C. and the Washington Post described her as a force in the Washington Color School. Her style in art was also unconventional and innovative for her creative period, especially for an African-American woman: initially, , her formal language became increasingly abstract. Since then I have been working as a journalist and writer. She says: “Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man’s inhumanity to man.”. — Alma Thomas, 1970 . Alma Woodsey Thomas developed her signature abstract painting style in her late 70s, after spending more than three decades teaching art in a Washington, D.C., junior high school. I am Alexandra Karg. She says: “Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man’s inhumanity to man.”, There is a historical event that apparently had such a great influence on Thomas that she dedicated a whole series of paintings to the event. One of these is, (1970), an impressive, colorful work, which abstractly reproduces the force of the rocket launch. Thomas was a creative child who always had an interest in art. who were mainly concerned with color field painting. Characterized by brightly colored, lozenge-shaped brushstrokes arranged in long bands or dense, puzzle-like patterns, the style broke significantly with Thomas’s earlier realistic paintings. An exception is the work, (1963), in which Alma Thomas dealt with her participation in the historical event. Flash of Spring by Alma Thomas, 1968, via Christie’s. Easy beginner painting lesson inspired by artist Alma Thomas' colorful abstract paintings. Nature was her most popular motif, as can be quickly seen from the titles of Thomas’ paintings. Like Louis or Davis, Alma Thomas was also interested in dealing with the power and effect of color. , 1966, via the White House Historical Association, Washington D.C. Although she chose to let her art carry its own message, Thomas was nonetheless a groundbreaking and influential figure, and at the age of 80, she became the first African-American woman featured in a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1972. Many of her paintings include only one color or a few colors. Resurrection by Alma Thomas, 1966, via the White House Historical Association, Washington D.C. Alma Thomas inspired Project/TemplatesThis is an all school lesson that gives some background information on Alma Thomas and walks the artist through the creative process to create and Alma Thomas inspired artwork. Sky Light by Alma Thomas, 1973, via Culture Type. Colorful Abstract Paintings At Washington Color Field School. It is painted on a square canvas, composed of concentric circles of color. What Inspired Manga Artist Hirohiko Araki? Yet she was by no means apolitical. Her career as a painter started late: only after a professional life as an art teacher, Alma Thomas devoted herself to her own art. Unlikely: after working as a junior high school art teacher for 35 years, she began a career as a painter at nearly 70, and in the course of her remaining two decades made extraordinary work that won widespread acclaim despite its maker being not male, not white, and not in New York. Portrait of Alma Thomas by Michael Fischer, 1976, via Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. The Georgia native spent most of her life in Washington D.C., where she taught art at Shaw Junior High School for 35 years. A second work from Alma Thomas’ early artistic years is Watusi (1963), named after a Chubby Checker song. The artist, Some Living American Women Artists / Last Supper. , 1976, via Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. Resurrection was one of the early works she completed as an abstract artist, finishing the painting in 1966, the same year as her Howard retrospective. Alma Thomas was a pioneering figure in American painting of the 1960s and 70s, whose ebullient, light-filled abstractions defy categorization. She also was the first African American artist to have a show at the famous Whitney museum in New York. in the U.S.A. Ex-President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama were apparently great fans of Thomas and made the Abstract Expressionists the first female African-American whose art was on display as part of the permanent collection in the public spaces of the White House. Alma Woodsey Thomas Born on September 22, 1891, in Columbus, Georgia, Thomas was the eldest of four daughters. Portrait of Alma Thomas at the Whitney Museum of Art. The works that were created during this initial period still make it clear today that Alma Thomas had yet to find her own style at that time. With a retrospective in 1972, Alma Thomas was the first African-American woman ever to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan, New York. Her style in art was also unconventional and innovative for her creative period, especially for an African-American woman: initially expressionistic, her formal language became increasingly abstract. Find an in-depth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices.

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