AlmaThomas & Color Field Painting

Alma Thomas was born on September 22, 1891 in Columbus, Georgia. When she was 16 she moved to Washington, DC with her family.She was the first person to graduate from Howard University's fine artsdepartment.She was an art teacher until she retired in 1960. This is when her art careertook off.She was an Expressionist painter who is best known for color field painting.Color field is a type of painting where you cover the entire canvas in color.She is the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at TheWhitney Museum of American Art in 1972, at age 81. In 2015, her painting Resurrection was unveiled as part of the permanentcollection in the White House and is the first artwork by an African Americanwoman to hang in the public spaces of the White House.

About Alma Thomas

If you are using Bristol paper as your canvas, prepare your painting surface bytaping the paper onto a sturdy work surface like a large piece of cardboard.Use a piece of cardboard as your palette. Squeeze small amounts of each colorpaint onto your palette.Dip your paintbrush into the paint and then add small "dabs" of paint onto yourcanvas or paint large portions of your canvas one color. Make sure to fill theentire canvas.

Supplies

Instructions

Canvas or Bristol paperPaints (preferably tempera or acrylic)Masking tape or painter's tapePaint brushesCup of waterPaper towelsCardboard