Art History - Alma Thomas

John Coleman
Feb 6
4 min read

Color is everywhere. In nature, food, clothes, people and so much more. It moves us everyday even when we aren't consciously thinking about it. In my upcoming collaborative online exhibition, Vibrant Spring - The Exploration of Color, I want to explore as an artist how color impacts our work. Alma Thomas, seems like a perfect place to start our exploration. She learned to express herself through color, filled with joy and love. By understanding the life of Alma, this will help shape my own path to using color as a means to reach my audience and share a message beyond just a pretty picture.

What draws me to her work most is how fearless it is. Thomas proved that color alone—layered, repeated, and intentional—can carry energy, rhythm, and optimism. In many ways, she gave artists permission to trust color as the message, not just the vehicle.

A Life Rooted in Persistence and Late Blooming

Alma Thomas’ story is as powerful as her paintings. Born in 1891 during the Jim Crow era, during a time when opportunities for Black women—especially in fine art—were incredibly limited. She moved to Washington, D.C. in 1907, where she spent most of her life. She earned her degree from Howard University in 1921, in which she was the first fine arts graduate at the school. Later she continued her education and received a Masters of Arts Education, from Columbia in the 1930's. During the 40's she assisted in Howard University's first Art Gallery, helping increase many opportunities for Black Artists in Washington. She spent most of her career as an educator, teaching art for over 35 years before fully dedicating herself to painting later in life. Her major recognition didn’t come until her 70s. After teaching, she continued to study painting and she started experimenting with abstract art and color, coining her Alma stripes, which some have found to be similar to Mosaics.

**Alma Thomas, Resurrection painting at the White House (2015).**

Her work eventually gained national attention, and she became the first Black woman to have her work in the White House Permanent Collection, a milestone that quietly but firmly placed her in American art history. Her paintings are now held in major museum collections, celebrated for their luminous color and optimistic abstraction.

Alma Thomas, Resurrection (1966), acrylic on canvas. — **Alma Thomas,** ***Resurrection*** **(1966), acrylic on canvas.**

A radiant composition of rhythmic color and light, expressing renewal, movement, and Thomas’ belief in joy as a deliberate artistic choice.

Art Reflection: Joy, Motion, and Possibility

In Apollo 12 Splash Down (1970), Alma Thomas translates a moment of scientific achievement into a language of color, rhythm, and optimism. Inspired by NASA’s Apollo missions, the painting evokes the ocean landing through layered bands of vibrant hues, creating a sense of movement that feels both natural and musical.

Thomas frequently drew inspiration from nature, science, and music, and her space paintings reflect her fascination with humanity’s expanding imagination. Rather than illustrating space literally, she focused on sensation—how exploration felt. Her rhythmic brushstrokes function almost like musical notes, repeating and shifting to suggest vibration, motion, and light.

This body of work emerged during a time of intense social and political strain in the United States. For many marginalized and disenfranchised communities, daily life was shaped by inequality and limited opportunity. Yet Thomas made a conscious decision to center joy instead of despair, color instead of conflict.

Her space paintings were also fueled by the wonder of technological progress made visible through color television. Reflecting on the Apollo missions, Thomas explained:

**“Today not only can our great scientists send astronauts to and from the moon to photograph its surface and bring back samples of rocks and other materials, but through the medium of color television all can actually

Framed Canvas Print Wall Art Starry Night and The Astronauts Master Artist Alma Thomas - Affiliate Sponsored Link

Learning to Let Color Speak

As I continue this series, I’m paying close attention to how artists like Alma Thomas trusted color to do the talking. I’m learning that color doesn’t always need symbolism spelled out—it can suggest, provoke, and invite reflection on its own.

For my own work, color exploration is becoming a form of language. Red will be my staple and signature. Not just as a branding choice or logo decision, but as a deliberate artistic direction. Red carries intensity, urgency, love, anger, power, and presence. In future posts, I’ll unpack why red resonates with me personally and creatively—but for now, it’s enough to say that I’m learning how to let color lead instead of follow.

Alma Thomas reminds me that color can hold joy and resistance at the same time. That exploration itself is a form of freedom. And that sometimes, the boldest thing an artist can do is simply trust what they see—and confirm it with color.

“Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness.” - Alma Thomas

You’re Invited!

If exploring color, story, and meaning through art speaks to you, I’d love to invite you to experience it beyond the page.

Join us for Vibrant Spring: The Exploration of Color, our upcoming virtual art show bringing artists and guests together from around the world for real conversations, live interaction, and artwork you can experience from the comfort of home. Your first ticket is free, and it also opens the door to our bi-monthly art shows, each centered around a new theme and creative perspective.

Members receive priority access and free entry to select shows—but as the community grows and the shows gain more notoriety, this level of access will become more limited. Getting in early means being part of the foundation, not just the audience. (Click the Image)

Come explore color.

Come meet the artists.

Come be part of something growing.

Claim your free ticket and explore upcoming shows here! 🎟️