Alma Thomas

To say Thomas (1891–1978) was a late-bloomer would be an understatement of the first magnitude. She spent the bulk of her life teaching High School in Washington D.C., and didn’t began to pursue her career as a full-time painter until after she retired at age 69. Yet, she became a leading figure in the Washington Color School, a feat that was all the more remarkable because she was an African-American woman in a scene that, much like New York’s, was dominated by white men. Her signature style consisted of short strokes of paint that she’d weave into chromatic mosaics of bands, concentric circles and other all-over patterns. Although she’s historically associated with Abstract Expressionism, she was more of an Impressionist in her focus on color and light. This retrospective brings together works from her entire career.