Alma Thomas was an American abstract painter and art teacher who worked in Washington, D.C. She was born on September 22, 1891, in Columbus, Georgia, and died on February 24, 1978. She taught art for 35 years, began painting full-time at age 68, and became the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Who Was Alma Thomas?
Alma Thomas was an expressionist abstract painter, art educator, and member of the Washington Color Field School. She is recognized for colorful abstract paintings inspired by nature, the cosmos, and music. The Smithsonian American Art Museum holds the world’s largest public collection of her work.
When and Where Was Alma Thomas Born?
Alma Thomas was born on September 22, 1891, in Columbus, Georgia. The table below lists key biographical facts about her.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Alma Woodsey Thomas |
| Birth date | September 22, 1891 |
| Birthplace | Columbus, Georgia |
| Parents | John Harris Thomas and Amelia Cantey Thomas |
| Siblings | 3 younger sisters |
| Occupations | Painter, art teacher |
| Art movement | Washington Color Field School |
| Death date | February 24, 1978 |
| Death place | Washington, D.C. |
| Age at death | 86 |
What Was Alma Thomas’s Early Life Like?
Alma Thomas was the oldest of 4 girls. Her family moved from Columbus, Georgia, to Washington, D.C., in 1907 because of growing racial tensions. She excelled at math and architectural drawing in high school. Her family settled in a house at 1530 15th Street NW, where she lived for most of her life.
What Did Alma Thomas Study?
Alma Thomas completed 3 stages of education in art and art education:
- Earned a fine arts degree from Howard University in 1924 as the first graduate of its art department.
- Earned a master’s degree in art education from Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1934.
- Studied painting at American University in the 1950s.
At Howard, she studied under James V. Herring, who founded the art department, and Lois Mailou Jones.
How Long Did Alma Thomas Teach?
Alma Thomas taught art for 35 years at Shaw Junior High School in Washington, D.C. She retired from teaching in 1960. Her teaching work included 4 programs and initiatives:
- Organizing the School Arts League Project, an arts appreciation program for Black children.
- Opening the first art gallery in a Washington, D.C., public school in 1938.
- Leading student art clubs, lectures, and exhibits.
- Taking students on field trips to the city’s art museums.
She also helped co-found the Barnett Aden Gallery, one of the first Black-owned private galleries in the United States.
When Did Alma Thomas Become a Full-Time Painter?
Alma Thomas became a full-time painter in 1960, at age 68, after she retired from teaching. Her most prolific period ran from 1959 to 1978. Her early work was realistic, and she shifted from representation to abstraction in the late 1950s.
What Is Alma Thomas’s Painting Style?
Alma Thomas’s style combines gestural abstraction and color field painting. Her patterned compositions use short strokes of bright color. She called one of her signature patterns “Alma’s Stripe,” which she developed around 1966 after Howard University offered her a retrospective.
What Are Alma Thomas’s Best-Known Paintings?
Alma Thomas’s best-known paintings date from 1966 to 1976. The table below lists 5 works by year and location.
| Painting | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Resurrection | 1966 | White House Collection |
| Light Blue Nursery | 1968 | Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| The Eclipse | 1970 | Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| Antares | 1972 | Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| Grassy Melodic Chat | 1976 | Smithsonian American Art Museum |
In 2021, a museum sold her painting Alma’s Flower Garden in a private transaction for $2.8 million.
What Are Alma Thomas’s Career Milestones?
Alma Thomas’s career includes 6 major milestones. The table below lists each by year.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1924 | Graduated as the first fine arts graduate of Howard University’s art department |
| 1934 | Earned a master’s degree in art education from Columbia University |
| 1960 | Retired from Shaw Junior High School and began painting full-time |
| 1972 | Held a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art |
| 2014 | Resurrection entered the White House Collection |
| 2021 | Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful opened as a traveling exhibition |
What Made Alma Thomas’s Whitney Museum Exhibition Historic?
Alma Thomas became the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1972. She was 80 years old. The show included The Eclipse (1970) and Antares (1972). Later in 1972, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., also mounted an exhibition of her work.
Why Is Alma Thomas in the White House Collection?
Alma Thomas’s painting Resurrection was the first work by an African American woman to enter the White House Collection. The White House Historical Association acquired the 1966 painting in 2014. A New York gallery sold it for $290,000, according to the Washington Post. Resurrection hangs on the north wall of the Old Family Dining Room.
When and How Did Alma Thomas Die?
Alma Thomas died on February 24, 1978, in Washington, D.C. She was 86. She died following surgery at Howard University Hospital.
Where Can Alma Thomas’s Work Be Seen?
Alma Thomas’s work is held in 6 major collections:
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- National Gallery of Art
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Museum of Modern Art
The Smithsonian American Art Museum owns the largest number of her paintings on canvas. It received 13 canvases by bequest after her death. The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art holds a large collection of her papers.
What Is Alma Thomas’s Legacy?
Alma Thomas’s legacy includes 16 solo exhibitions in her late career, a permanent place in the White House Collection, and a body of abstract work created mostly after age 68. Posthumous exhibitions include the first major career retrospective at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in 1998 and Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful in 2021. Her biography links 35 years of teaching to a late painting career recognized in major American museums.
People Also Ask
When was Alma Thomas born?
Alma Thomas was born on September 22, 1891, in Columbus, Georgia.
How old was Alma Thomas when she died?
Alma Thomas was 86 when she died on February 24, 1978.
What is Alma Thomas known for?
Alma Thomas is known for colorful abstract paintings and for being the first Black woman with a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum.
Where did Alma Thomas teach?
Alma Thomas taught art at Shaw Junior High School in Washington, D.C., for 35 years.
Which Alma Thomas painting is in the White House?
Resurrection, painted in 1966, is in the White House Collection.