Catalog of an exhibition organized by and held at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, Ind., Sept. 5-Nov. 8, 1998 and touring nationally through Jan. 9, 2000.

"In a collaboration between curators at The Columbus Museum and the Chrysler Museum of Art, Alma W. Thomas: Everything is Beautiful, works toward a primary objective: to introduce the Thomas-related materials housed at The Columbus Museum to a broader public, and to demonstrate how those materials reshape the narratives surrounding the artist. The wealth of material in The Columbus Museum's collection-from student work of the 1920s and marionettes from the 1930s, to home furnishings, ephemera, and little-known works on paper-offers a robust, but until now untold, account of Thomas's artistic journey. Taking cues from Thomas's wide-ranging interests and her broad network of collaborators and supporters, our museums also sought a scholarly approach that resonated with the artist's own disregard for silos, borders, and other arbitrary limitations. Assembling an interdisciplinary advisory committee of more than twenty scholars of diverse backgrounds and experiences, the curators convened a two-day gathering at the University of Maryland Center for Art and Knowledge at The Phillips Collection in January 2020 to illuminate varied aspects of Thomas's creativity and amplify the show's interdisciplinary approach. By applying interdisciplinary approaches to a range of artistic objects, the overall project presents new insights into Thomas's diverse forms of creativity while offering an inspiring look at how to lead a rich and beautiful life"--

This exhibition features works from every period in Thomas's career, including rarely exhibited watercolors and early abstractions, as well as her signature canvases drawn from a variety of private and public collections. As the work of many African-American abstractionists is only recently coming into the spotlight, this important book on Alma Thomas profiles a truly pioneering figure.

Born in Georgia at the end of the nineteenth century, Alma Woodsey Thomas defied society's expectations for black women. She did not marry, have children, or work as a domestic. Instead, Thomas was a teacher and an artist. Fascinated by nature and the universe, she could paint vivid scenes of everything from the trees in her yard to NASA's first moon landing. Readers will learn that she wouldn't win public acclaim for her art until later in life. Facing health problems and old age, Thomas managed to become one of the country's most influential artists.

Alma’s Dream translates through images and words the artistic journey of Alma Woodsey Thomas (1891–1978). Born in Columbus, Georgia, Thomas rose to fame as a prolific abstract artist after retiring from teaching art in the public school system. Her success later in life serves as an example to others that professional accolades can happen at any moment in one’s existence. This book was written for young readers ages three and older. The Alma Thomas story is an example of holding fast to one’s dream until the vision is realized.

Featuring paintings by American icons like Winslow Homer and Thomas Eakins, this book illustrates the ways American artists have viewed themselves, their peers, and their painted worlds over 200 years.