During Black History Month and just preceding Women’s History Month, students at our Cornville program created artwork inspired by Alma Thomas, who is know for her abstract paintings. Thomas was the first African American woman to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art, as well as having artwork entered into the permanent collection of the White House.
Rita Alfonso LaBarbera, Program Director at Cornville, shared that one of the goals of this project was to teach students that a message, idea, or image can be conveyed without trying to looking exactly like something…and that thinking outside the box and doing things differently can still allow you to connect with others and communicate.
For this project, students learned about Alma Thomas and her artwork, then created their own, inspired by what they learned.