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These amazing Alma Woodsey Thomas art projects teach us that it’s never too late to start and that you can always create art in any circumstance!

“Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man’s inhumanity to man.”

An artist may paint for many reasons. Maybe it’s an outlet for their pain. Maybe they want to put across a strong political message. Or maybe they are just painting a record of their times.

But in some cases, all an artist wants is to add some color to a drab world. For instance, look at the explosion of colors in this painting.

It’s really bright – almost like you’re looking at the sun! Well, that’s exactly what it is!

This is ‘The Eclipse’, a famous painting created by American artist Alma Woodsey Thomas. The painting was inspired by the total solar eclipse that occurred in 1970, and it has been beautifully captured here.

You can see how the moon is attempting to block the full view of the sun, and the asymmetry makes it look like it’s moving across the sky! That’s the genius of Alma Thomas’ work!

Who was Alma Woodsey Thomas?

Alma Woodsey Thomas wasn’t just an American artist – she was an African-American artist which is significant since she lived during a time when there was widespread discrimination and violence. What’s most impressive about her is that she wasn’t an artist from the start – she was a teacher for 35 years, and only launched her art career in her 70s!

And yet, she has created some amazing work that will live on forever. Alma Thomas was a trailblazer in every sense of the term.

• She was the first graduate of the Howard University Fine Arts program
• Alma Thomas is the first Black American woman to receive a bachelor’s degree in art
• She was the first African-American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art
• She was the first African-American woman whose work entered the White House Collection

Yes, Alma Woodsey Thomas was amazing! Since her birthday is coming up on the 22nd of September, it’s a good opportunity to learn a little more about her and her art, so let’s have some fun with these beautiful Alma Woodsey Thomas art projects!

10 Alma Woodsey Thomas Art Projects

1. Alma Woodsey Thomas Circles Art Lesson

If you look closely, you’ll see that Alma’s paintings include small rectangles in different colors, placed close to each other or even overlapping. Due to this, her work has often been compared to Byzantine mosaics or the Pointillism seen in Georges Seurat‘s work. Art Projects for Kids tries to replicate this style, using little dashed lines in color gradients.

2. Alma Thomas-Inspired Rainbow Art

Alma Thomas’ style evolved over time, starting from more realistic paintings to cubism and then abstract expressionism. The colors also changed, beginning with dark blues and browns to the bright colors we identify with her today. Deep Space Sparkle brings us a project that celebrates the artist’s iconic style, with step by step instructions.

3. Color Field Painting Inspired By Alma Thomas

These Alma Woodsey Thomas art projects are great for learning about color theory, which is the focus of most of the artist’s work. She made a lot of color field paintings, and her work was comparable to that of Kandinsky and the group called the Washington Color Field Painters. If you’d like to learn about it too, check out this project from Woo Jr.

4. Alma Thomas Inspired Collage Art

Many artists who create abstract art often use masking tape to outline certain shapes or borders. However, Alma Thomas did not use this technique; instead, she used a pencil to create rough outlines before filling in the paint. Sometimes, she left the marks without erasing them, and they can still be seen! Try out both methods in this art project from The Clever Feather and see which one works better for you.

5. Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

We absolutely love this book by Jeanne Walker Harvey, and it is the perfect accompaniment to this list of Alma Woodsey Thomas art projects! Beautifully illustrated by Loveis Wise, this picture book tells the story of Alma Thomas – how she started by teaching art to children in segregated schools and then reached a stage when her painting was hung in the dining room of the White House!

6. Alma Thomas Inspired Tempera Art

Alma Thomas’ paintings were heavily inspired by her own experiences in nature. She enjoyed observing the play of light and color among trees and flowers and used this as inspiration in her own art. It is said that she used to drive to the countryside with her friend, artist Delilah Pierce, and observe the landscape. Try it out yourself, getting inspired by this sunrise tempera art from I Heart Art.

7. Alma Thomas Heart Mosaics

Alma Thomas was inspired by many artists, and quite significantly by Henri Matisse. She visited an exhibition where she saw Matisse’s ‘The Snail’, and loved the way the colorful paper was arranged to create the impression of a snail shell. Use this technique in this project from Miss R’s Art Room to create your own shapes!

8. Bubble Wrap Painting with Alma Thomas

One of the important lessons kids can learn from these Alma Woodsey Thomas art projects is that it’s never too late to start.  Thomas started night classes for art at the age of 59, exhibited her work at the age of 75 and had her own solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art at the age of 81! So go ahead, and get the kids busy with a fun bubble wrap Alma Thomas project from Little Bins for Little Hands.

9. Collage Art Inspired by Alma Thomas

Although Alma Thomas started her art career quite late, she was always interested in art. As a child, she used to make puppets and sculptures. She wanted to be an architect, but it wasn’t a suitable career for women at the time, so she moved to teaching art. Find out more fun facts about Alma Thomas as you make this collage from Artful Parent.

10. Alma Thomas Coloring Sheet

Alma Thomas didn’t travel much – she lived in the same house for almost her whole life, from the time her family moved to Washington till her death. Today, that house is called the ‘Alma Thomas House’ and has been entered into the National Register of Historic Places. You can get more information about such important events in Alma’s life from this coloring sheet by Teachers Pay Teachers.

Making these Alma Woodsey Thomas art projects isn’t just fun – they’re also a great way to learn about an artist’s life. We often hear of artists being dramatic characters and having quite colorful lives. However, Alma Thomas shows us that you can also live a quiet life, and put all the color of the world into your art – where it truly belongs!