July 23, 2025
So often scholars and educators talk about Alma Thomas’ use of color and the color theory behind the choices she made in her paintings. But what if we just sat still and considered how she was inspired?
Alma Thomas often spoke of what she observed in the world and around her and how the everyday elements and cultural events inspired her compositions. These events included Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and the US Apollo program taking humans to space. She was also inspired by her very own garden, a place in which she painted what she saw and what she lived. She used bright colors and patterns to paint all these varied experiences.
“I noticed how the light shone on and through other trees, shrubs, and flowers and tried repeatedly to capture this magic.” – Alma Thomas
When was the last time you were able to sit in The Garden at Newfields on a bench for three or even 10 minutes? You might start to notice how the light is different when it filters through the tree canopy or the flash of color when a butterfly lands on a bush.
In the same way that Alma was inspired, I am also inspired by the nature that surrounds my workplace and the events happening in my lifetime. Before Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum was installed here at Newfields, I saw Alma’s work for the first time in a textbook when I was a middle school teacher.
It almost took my breath away. Not only was she an art teacher in public schools (like I was at the time), but she also created texture with her brush that added so much visual interest to her paintings. Her use of simple shapes and color to tell the story was unique, even under the category of “abstract.” It was beautiful, and my students would comment on how interesting it was, even with the seemingly simple composition.
Alma Thomas was a talented education, inspirational painter, and pioneer for women showcasing their art in prestigious museums in New York City. She began her career in Washington D.C. teaching art at a junior high school, where she taught for over 35 years. When she retired, she started focusing on painting full-time and eventually developed the abstract style she’s so well known for.
Alma was a leader in her field, an educator for most of her career, and of course a creative person who needed to paint. I admire that she kept working, kept exploring, and kept being inspired by new and beautiful things.
Now it’s my turn to watch for the changing light and do my best to “capture the magic.”
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