It was refreshing to read A Bold and Modern White House by Carol Vogel, and White House Art: Colors From a World of Black and White by Holland Cotter.
I’m impressed and happy to know there are abstract paintings currently on view at the White House. But I admit I would have added other media, more works by women artists, and works by Latin and Asian American artists — there are none!?
A new discovery for me was the artist Alma Thomas. Holland Cotter writes:
“If the offer were made, which artist from the White House list would I choose for my New York City apartment? I knew the answer: Alma W. Thomas.”
I agree. I absolutely loved her work and story. She began to paint when she retired from teaching at 69. At 80, she had a one-person exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. An extremely important exhibition because it was the first one-person exhibition by a black woman at the Whitney.
My favorites: Thomas used her kitchen as a studio. And for her, color was life, and life was art. Ahh, so fresh!
Image:
Alma Thomas (1891–1978)
Watusi (Hard Edge), 1963
Acrylic on canvas, 47 5/8 x 44 1/4 inches
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
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