Art is such an important part of life for many reasons. It can be a release. Art can be a mirror of society; the good, the bad and the ugly of it. It can inspire. It can be joyful or full of sorrow. Art is important because it is an extension of humanity itself. Some of our earliest records of humanity are through cave paintings. The hopes and dreams of the artist are put on display and that will always be special. 

Artists will always find what is true. What they choose to focus on is just as much of their art as the medium they use. While I will always appreciate art as a form of honesty, I have a soft spot for artists who focus on spreading beauty. Who acknowledge the darkness and the ugly in the world, but also lift up others with their work. One such artist was Alma Thomas. 

Thomas was born in Georgia in 1891. Thomas’ family instilled a love of learning in her that she held fast to for her entire life. Her family moved to Washington DC seeking better opportunities in 1907 both in education and to try to further themselves from segregation. The move paid off, as Thomas was able to get a far better education there. She was Howard University’s first Fine Arts major! 

From there Thomas would teach at Shaw Junior High School. Her esteemed career in teaching didn’t stop her from pursuing more education of her own. In 1934 she earned an MA in arts education from Columbia University. In addition to that, in the 1950s she studied art at the American University. Through it all Thomas never lost sight of her other passion: creating art. 

She was even instrumental in helping to form one of the first galleries owned by persons of color in 1943 called the Barnett Arden Gallery. Thomas started to really focus on her own art after retiring from education. She began paint in patterns with vibrant colors in an abstract art style. While most of her work featured nature and the earth she did create three political pieces after attending the 1963 March on Washington. She would later talk about how she used color to focus on the beauty of the March and the happiness she found there. 

Thomas’ life and artistic career were full of obstacles for a woman of color from the south, but she prevailed. She broke educational barriers. She formed spaces for artists of color. She won acclaim despite being based outside of New York–a feat in the 1960s. Her art caught the attention of the Whitney Museum of Art in 1972. There she became the first female artist of color to have a solo exhibit! As a child Thomas wouldn’t have been able to enter the Museum, but eventually she was able to have her art hanging in them. 

Alma Thomas and her art have created space for all the artists who have come after her. Her paintings are some of my personal favorites. Her art brings joy to the viewer. They also make people stop to think about how they view nature and the world around them. Thomas took the color of her own life and put it on display. What a beautiful legacy. If you have an opportunity to go see her work in person please do.

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!!!