9 Questions
Where did Alma Thomas grow up?
Columbus, Georgia
In which decade did Alma Thomas retire from teaching?
1960s
When was Alma Thomas' painting 'Resurrection' added to the White House's permanent collection?
2014
From which university did Alma Thomas earn a Master's degree in arts education?
Columbia University
Where did Alma Thomas teach for 35 years?
Shaw Junior High School
What inspired Alma Thomas to start experimenting with abstract styles in the 1960s?
Nature and her surroundings
Which famous painting of Alma Thomas was added to the White House's permanent collection in the late 1960s?
Resurrection
Where did Alma Thomas earn a Master's degree in Arts Education in the 1930s?
Columbia University
What was Alma Thomas known for in her art?
Spiritual and joyful presence
Study Notes
- Alma Thomas was a pioneering artist, known for lifting spirits with her work.
- Originally from Columbus, Georgia, she grew up surrounded by nature. Her family moved to Washington D.C. in 1907 due to town's harsh racial realities.
- Thomas attended Armstrong High School in Washington D.C. in the 1920s, where she discovered her passion for art.
- In 1924, she became the first to graduate with a Bachelor's degree in art from Howard University, and began teaching at Shaw Junior High School shortly thereafter.
- She influenced hundreds of black children in Washington D.C. through her teaching, and also founded the Sunday afternoon beauty club for neighborhood children.
- In the 1930s, Thomas earned a Master's degree in arts education from Columbia University. She continued learning from artists such as Lois Mailou Jones, Jacob Kanan, and Sam Gilliam.
- In the 1950s, she studied painting at American University and began experimenting with abstract styles. Her work is characterized by almost stripe-like or dotted patterns, inspired by nature.
- In 1966, Thomas retired from teaching and began creating a new style of paintings based on patterns of light. She continued creating works inspired by nature and the cosmos until her death in 1978.
- Her painting "Resurrection" was added to the White House's permanent collection in 1968, becoming the first piece by a black woman to be displayed in the People's House.
Test your knowledge about Alma Thomas, a pioneering artist known for her uplifting work and influence on black children in Washington D.C. through teaching and community initiatives.
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