Reflected by the poetic titles of these paintings, Alma Thomas’s mosaic-like, allover compositions were inspired by the observation of natural phenomena in her home of Washington, D.C. Often connected to the Washington Color School for her interest in abstraction, Thomas’s work separates itself in its more gestural and active style and experimentation with color, recalling the color theory of Josef Albers and the synesthesia of Wassily Kandinsky. Born in 1897, Thomas surpassed the barriers presented by her race and gender, becoming an influential teacher in the arts as well as an integral voice for social justice and equality. Despite her political and historical involvement, Thomas’s work steered away from these references, reflecting the belief that modern art could transcend these concerns. Devoted to her students, Thomas only began her art career and developed her signature style of dappled fields upon retiring in her 70s, resulting in a limited, yet extremely profound, body of work. Since then, Alma Thomas was notably the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney in 1972, and her paintings have been exhibited in museums nationwide as well as the White House. (https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/online-post-war-contemporary/lake-reflecting-advent-spring-6/16394)