Alma Thomas is so inspiring! Not only do i totally dig her work, but she is the first black female expressionist painter, in the 20th century… back when art was considered a “man’s” field. Very few women were able to achieve success in art then….and certainly no other black women. That she was able to leap that hurdle should tell you that she’s got the right stuff.

She believed that creativity should be independent of gender or race, creating works with a focus on accidental beauty and the abstraction of color.

While other black artists were busy making political statements with their art, she drew inspiration from Matisse, pointillism, the moon landing. She loved the effect of light on rural environments. She was criticized for using Expressionism as her artistic style.

She was the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney. In 2009, First Lady, Michelle Obama chose two of her pieces to be hung in the White House as part of the permanent collection.

#art, #artist, #arthistory, #expressionistart, #almathomas, #femaleartist, #africanamericanartist, #coupdecoeur, #letstalkartwithbrooke

c. 2020 LTAWB