Alma Thomas' Art at the Studio Museum-A Must See Show

The Studio Museum in Harlem is free to the public on Sundays from 12-6PM.  Regardless, the Alma Thomas show is well worth the minimal suggested donation fee Mon-Sat.  Ms Thomas, a maverick artist is having more than 50 of her works on view at The Studio Museum.  Walking into the gallery felt like being inside a rainbow.  Her gifts as a colorist are remarkable as is her colorful life.  Thomas (b. Amer 1891-1976) is an artist known for distinctive, bold & colorful brushstrokes.  Her oeuvre is associated with abstraction although her figurative paintings, i.e. "March on Washington" ('64) are formidable historic works.  Always fascinated by nature & space, Ms Thomas captures colorful landscapes & celestial subjects.  Her painting "Snoopy Sees Earth Wrapped in Sunset" is so vivid, it looks combustible.  She pays homage to Van Gogh in "Starry Night & the Astronauts ('72.)  My 2 favorite pieces are "Stars & Their Display" ('73) & "Cherry Blossom Symphony" ('73.)  Her paintings reflect Matisse's mosaic cut-outs and her earlier works show Hans Hoffman's influence.  I see Pousette-Dart being heavily influenced by Thomas in his ocular, undulating paintings.  The Whitney held an exhibit of Thomas' work in '72; a time when numerous Afr-Amer artists were irremissibly overlooked.   Ms Thomas stated "One of the things we couldn't do was go into museums, let alone think of hanging our pictures there.  My, times have changed.  Just look at me now."  Sadly, our nation is sliding backwards with regards to racism.  "A world without color would seem dead.  Color, for me is life."  Alma Thomas' work is joyful, ebullient and hopefully, healing.