It’s Black History Month and we are celebrating by exploring the work of some of our favorite artists including Alma Thomas!
Alma Thomas was born in 1891 in Columbus, Georgia. When Alma was young everything was still segregated and she didn’t have a lot of opportunities but she continued to pursue her passion, art. She became a teacher but went back to school when she was 30 to study art at Howard, becoming the first graduate from the fine arts program. She continued teaching art for 35 years and after she retired she fully dedicated herself to her art. Her art was full of color and life! She was inspired by nature and space (after becoming inspired by the moon-landing).
Some of her work (like this piece to the left) was inspired by what a field of flowers might look like from high up in the sky. What does it remind you of?
This piece (below) is titled “The Eclipse.” What do you notice? How does she represent an eclipse?
Feeling inspired? Time to make some art!
You’ll need: bleeding tissue paper cut into little squares, watercolor paper, and water + paintbrush.
What is going to inspire your artwork? Nature? The sky? Your favorite place?
First put a little water down on your watercolor paper and then add the little squares of bleeding tissue paper. Fill up your whole page and then let it dry. Once its all dry you can brush all the pieces of tissue paper off. How did it turn out?
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