Now on View at SAAM

Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas
On view through June 2, 2024
Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and G Streets, NW)
 

“A world without color would seem dead. Color is life.” —Alma Thomas

Experience the dazzling interplay of pattern and hue in Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas, now on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Examine the works close-up and get lost in the feelings Thomas creates with her distinct abstract style, bold brushstrokes, and vibrant colors. SAAM holds the largest public collection of Thomas's works in the world and the exhibition features many of the pieces from her most prolific period.

Alma Thomas is a singular figure in the story of twentieth-century American art. A groundbreaking artist and educator, she developed her exuberant form of abstract painting late in life, after retiring from a long career as a schoolteacher. Blossoming in the mid-1960s, Thomas’s abiding sources of inspiration were nature, the cosmos, and music.

Hear from Curator Melissa Ho

Watch: In this video, Ho discuss Thomas’s legacy, the artistic techniques she used to create a multisensory experience for the viewer, and the vital role she played in the Washington, DC arts community.  
 
Listen: Ho guides viewers on an audio tour through key works in Composing Color. SAAM teamed up with the digital firm Smartify to create audio tours that deepen the visitor experience, both in the galleries and online.