Celebrating the art of Alma Thomas

Alma Woodsey Thomas was an African-American artist and teacher who lived and worked in Washington, D.C., raising to prominence in her later life during the 1970s. She is now recognized as a major American painter of the 20th century, Thomas became an important role model for women, African Americans, and older artists. She was the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art, and she exhibited her paintings at the White House three times.

In Hereford Class the KS1 children studied her work, comparing to George Seurat's Pointillist technique of abstract painting. Some of the children were inspired to continue their artwork at home which is always fantastic to see.

In KS2 Art Club we also looked at Alma Thomas's work and studied how much of it was based on nature or space. We looked at pieces such as 'Blast Off' and 'Eclipse' to inspire our own work.