Lifestyle

Artist Alma W. Thomas – Pioneer, Educator Taught Us How to See Beauty in the Everyday

D. Kevin McNeir WI Senior Writer

The ongoing pandemic, now into its second year, may have many people fearful of the future and unable to find enjoyment in what some have described as the “new normal.”

But as one pioneering artist and educator, Alma W. Thomas, helped us realize, there’s beauty all around us – particularly in the “every day.”

And now, through Jan. 23, you can experience her breathtaking paintings in the District as The Phillips Collection continues its commitment to showcasing the works of African-American artists whose creativity and talent lives on – well after their deaths. Under the direction of cultural and educational institutions across D.C., residents and visitors can celebrate Thomas’s life with a variety of programs, events, and a major exhibition at The Phillips Collection, honoring her contributions to our cultural heritage.

“Alma W. Thomas: Everything is Beautiful” delivers a new perspective on the artist’s long life (1891-1978) and her career – one defined by constant creativity.

The retrospective chronicles her journey from rural Georgia to the District where she became the first Black

EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL

NOW THROUGH JANUARY 23, 2022

Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful is co-organized by the Chrysler Museum of Art, Virginia, and The Columbus Museum, Georgia.

Aflac is proud to sponsor Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful. The exhibition has also been made possible in part by major support from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts

Generous funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation,the Robert Lehman Foundation, and Dina and George Perry.

Additional support provided by John and Gina Despres, Linda Lichtenberg Kaplan, and the Ednah Root Foundation

Alma Thomas, Pansies in Washington (detail), 1969, Acrylic on canvas, 50 x 48 in., National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Corcoran Collection (Gi of Vincent Melzac)

Experience the museum anytime, anywhere.

Download the Bloomberg Connects app to explore our digital guide.

VISIT THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION TODAY

PHILLIPSCOLLECTION.ORG | 202.387.2151 woman featured in a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art at age 81.

Through artworks and archival materials, this exhibition demonstrates how Thomas’s wide-reaching artistic practices extended far beyond her studio, shaping every facet of her life – from community service, to teaching, to gardening.

The oldest of four girls, Thomas and her family migrated from Columbus, Georgia, to the District, hoping to escape the racial violence of the South. Segregation notwithstanding, D.C., as the nation’s capital, still offered more opportunities for Blacks than most cities during that era.

As a child, she dreamed of being an architect and building bridges. But few women architects existed a century ago – certainly not Black. So, Thomas decided to matriculate at Howard University. By 1924, she had distinguished herself as the first art department graduate at Howard University.

A constant learner, she studied the latest developments in art, visiting museums in New York, Europe, and D.C., including The Phillips Collection.

For 35 years and in a segregated city, she empowered art students at Shaw Junior High School to see beauty in the everyday and brought exhibition opportunities and cultural enrichment to Black youth.

Teaching allowed her to support herself while pursuing her own painting part-time.

Thomas’s early art was realistic, though her Howard professor James V. Herring and peer Loïs Mailou Jones challenged her to experiment with abstraction. When she retired from teaching and began to give her undivided attention to her art, Thom-

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For Thomas – who died in 1978 but lived long enough to go from what she called “horse and buggy times” to the 1969 moon landing – the rush of modernity demanded expression . . .

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as finally developed her signature style.

In 1966, she debuted her abstract work in an exhibition at Howard at the age of 75. She would become a role model for women, African Americans, and older artists. And age would not hinder her abilities or success. She serves as the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art and exhibited her paintings at the White House on separate occasions.

Thomas’s home located at 1530 15th Street, NW, served as her artistic epicenter. There, she created small watercolors, aerial landscapes and brightly patterned large-scale abstractions that reflect her local surroundings, her fascination with space, and her dedication to the environment. Along with these themes, the exhibition explores her interests in performance, puppetry, costume design, and fashion.

“Everything is Beautiful” contextualizes Thomas’s art and life within her creative community, delving into her association with Howard University, American University and the Barnett Aden Gallery, which she helped cofound.

Some of her works can be seen placed alongside examples by her friends and contemporaries including Loïs Mailou Jones and Morris Louis who also helped shape the D.C. art scene. The exhibition offers an intimate look at this inspiring cultural icon who used her imagination and ingenuity to lead a rich and beautiful life.

Washington Post reporter Kelsey Ables described the work of Thomas in a Sept. 2021 report as follows: “For Thomas – who died in 1978 but lived long enough to go from what she called “horse and buggy times” to the 1969 moon landing – the rush of modernity demanded expression . . . Look at any of Thomas’s works, and her awe at the universe – at any scale – united them. An energetic harmony seems to pulse from the light at her fingertips out to the light of the stars. Her medium is motion.”

If you have never witnessed the brilliance of the artist Alma W. Thomas, you have denied yourself a mind-blowing, eye-opening experience.

The Phillips Collection has virtual tours available as well as limited opportunities for residents to visit the gallery. But time remains of the essence.

WI

5 Alma Thomas (right) with Howard University students. (Courtesy photo)

Metro D.C. Restaurant Week Returns as Pandemic Continues

Small and Minority-Owned Restaurants Still Challenged by COVID-19

Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

“Winter Restaurant Week" returns January 17-23. The seven-day event, promoted by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington [RAMW], seeks to motivate people to dine out in support of a favorite dining spot or try something new. Fixed prices have been established for lunch, dinner and brunch. On the Winter Restaurant Week dining filter, patrons can select cuisines and locations.

The rise in COVID-19 cases has forced dining establishments to reinstitute mandates many thought counted as a thing of the past. RAMW's website has COVID-19 updates specific to the District, Maryland and Virginia.

“Mandates are never ideal but we are at an inflection point with this virus. We expected additional measures might be considered to maintain health and safety,” said RAMW President/CEO Kathy Hollinger.

“We have many local restaurants already requiring proof of vaccination, but most are not, nor have the capacity to do so. It will be important that we work collaboratively to achieve a seamless and measured process with minimal burden on small businesses who have a very thin infrastructure.”

Last September, RAMW's annual awards program, the RAMMYS, honored restaurants, bars and purveyors in new categories that recognized necessary dining options like takeout and pop-ups. These alternatives to a traditional restaurant experience will probably be in high demand for 2022 Winter Restaurant Week." “FishScale” serves as a small family-owned restaurant at 637 Florida Avenue in Northwest, one block away from the historic Howard Theatre. The restaurant has been a RAMW member, participated in a RAMW Restaurant Week before and also Black Restaurant Week, which isn’t affiliated with RAMW.

Patrons can expect to pay a fee to participate in the event as well

5 City Winery participates in 2022 Winter Restaurant Week, January 17-23. Risotto Balls are on the menu at this restaurant in the Ivy City neighborhood in the District. (Courtesy photo)

Coming up at

BRIAN McKNIGHT

Fri, Jan 14 R&B legend known for “Back to One,”“Anytime,” and more.

ORPHEUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS

Thu, Jan 20 Grammy-winning classical & jazz interpretations.

Generously sponsored in part by Helen Louise Pettis

PHILADANCO!

THE PHILADELPHIA DANCE COMPANY

Fri, Jan 28

Co-presented by CityDance

GREGORY PORTER

Mon & Tue, Feb 14 & 15

Brian McKnight, Gregory Porter by Erik Umphery, PHILADANCO! by Julieanne Harris

STRATHMORE.ORG | 301.581.5100

5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852

RESTAURANT Page 30

CHRISTMAS TREES AND HOLIDAY GREENERY COLLECTION

JANUARY Y - FEBRUARY YYY YYYY

Place your trees and greenery curbside or at your normal point of collection without lights or decorations between January 3 and February 28, 2022.

Holiday trees and greenery collected after February 28 will be collected with trash as space permits in the trash truck.

Holiday trees and greenery will be used for compost when collected between January 3 and February 28, 2022.

Stay Informed!

www.washingtoninformer.com

5 City Winery participates in 2022 Winter Restaurant Week, January 17-23. Risotto Balls are on the menu at this restaurant in the Ivy City neighborhood in the District. (Courtesy photo)

RESTAURANT from Page 29

as the association's membership fee.

Black Restaurant Week does not charge restaurants and bars to participate. FishScale will not join in RAMW's Winter Restaurant Week.

FishScale's co-owners are siblings. Chef Henry Brandon Williams and Crystal Williams have been fortunate not to shut down during the pandemic. Loyal customers have continued to patronize the eatery, but FishScale would like to hire more staff like most restaurants and bars.

“It's definitely been tricky. We slightly changed our hours,” Crystal said. “A lot of our customers are people who utilize services in the area.”

Crystal expressed her thanks for RAMW's support and advocacy on behalf of restaurants during the pandemic. According to Crystal, some of RAMW's fees were complimentary early in the pandemic. RAMW now has a sliding scale membership fee, making it more affordable for smaller dining establishments to benefit. Still, budgets remain tight for most restaurants and bars.

“It took us a while to wrap our heads around RAMW because it appeared most of their members were fine dining restaurants with three-course meals,” said Crystal, who remains on sabbatical from her career as a clinical pharmacist.

Crystal said she appreciates the surveys that RAMW conducts among restaurants. During the pandemic, she feels this has been an excellent method to understand what businesses need, what to say to local policymakers and target services.

“RAMW has also been creative in breaking down restaurants by neighborhoods so that people can go to places closer to home. RAMW also has done a fantastic job with helping business owners stay up-to-date on legislation that impacts us,” she said while speaking specifically about the Restaurant Revitalization Act.

The program provides emergency assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, and other qualifying businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Survival of the restaurant industry in the metro area is the top priority for RAMW.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, two years ago, restaurants saw a 70% decrease in their sales compared to pre-pandemic numbers,” Hollinger said. “Now, two years later, restaurants are bringing in about 75% of their pre-pandemic sales. Restaurants are also operating with about 75% of their normal staff size.”

To access restaurants participating in Winter Restaurant Week, visit https://ramw.org/restaurantweek. WI

Woodpecker’s Winter Food Budget Plan

AP! TAP! TAPPITY! TAP! Woodpeckers use their strong beaks to tap holes into tree trunks. Then they ll each hole with acorns, pine nuts, seeds and more to save for later.

A woodpecker’s storage tree is also called a granary tree. The same granary tree is used for generations. Some granary trees have over 10,000 holes! THINK ABOUT IT: How is a granary tree like a piggy bank?

And we have to store extra food because squirrels like to help themselves to the food in our granary tree! How rude!

Plus, some of our stored food gets eaten by bugs. And some of it will get wet and rot before we can eat it. So we need a budget! Mom and Little One have 63 acorns. Color the amount of acorns they can eat each day this week if they want the acorn supply to last for three weeks.

© 2022 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 38, No. 8

Whoa! Whoa! Not so fast there, little one! I was just about to explain to you that we need to make a food budget to make sure that this food lasts all winter. It looks like a lot of food now, but we need food for the next three months!

Wow, mom! It looks like we’ve stored way more food than we need! Let’s throw a big party for all our feathered friends!

What’s a budget? A budget is a plan that helps you to best use your resources, such as food or money!

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

Hold this page up to a mirror to learn a surprising woodpecker fact!

Woodpeckers have super long tongues. Their tongues are usually about twice the length of their bill so that they can reach for insects inside the holes they peck out. Their tongues are also sticky.

My mom asked me to help with our family budget, but I’m having trouble. Can you help me?

Let’s Draw a Woodpecker!

How many acorns can you nd on this page in two minutes? Have a friend try. Who found the most acorns?

1 2 3 4

Answer: They can eat three acorns per day.

Make 50

Look through the newspaper for 8 different numbers that when added together add up to exactly 50.

Standards Link: Math: Calculate sums with multiple digits.

KID SCOOP IS SPONSORED BY

An acorn fell out of the hole a woodpecker drilled. Can you put it back?

WOODPECKER RESOURCES HARVEST S

GRANARY STORAGE H TONGUES E BUDGET G WINTER A ACORN HOLES R NOSES O PLAN T TREE S TOES DUST

R E T N I W R D E R S S E L O H U S E Y T O T O E S S S R N T A D E T E O A O R G P S E U U N S E O E P G G R A E E V C L D N C R S R E K A U O

E G A R T E N B T Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Make a Family Budget

Imagine you have $100 to spend on family meals for one week. Look through the ads in the newspaper and make a list of foods to buy. Add up what the foods cost. Adjust your grocery list to make it cost $100 or less.

Standards Link: Math: Caluculate money sums to total $100 or less.

Make a Di erence

Describe how you make a difference in someone’s life within your family, your school or your community.

wi book review horoscopes

JAN 13 - 19, 2022

"You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays" by Zora Neale Hurston, edited and with an introduction by Genevieve West and Henry Louis Gates Jr. c.2022, Amistad $29.99 464 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

That's just the way it was.

People did things differently in times past. They were a little more likely to judge others, a little less apt to open their minds. They had notions we might think are odd; they held beliefs that we know now are wrong. But as in the new book "You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays" by Zora Neale Hurston, times change. Sometimes.

Throughout her career of nearly 40 years, Zora Neale Hurston prodigiously wrote novels that resonate today. In this nonfiction book, readers get a taste of the other side of Hurston's career: her journalism, essay-writing, and a reflection of the times in which she lived.

In the essay "High John de Conquer," she offers "some help to our brothers and sisters who have always been white" by introducing them to a man who "romps … clowns, and looks ridiculous" and then disappears. John de Conquer is a scamp and a "mystery," but he also offers hope and "the secret of Negro song and laughter."

If you ever imagined what it was like to have been captured and sold into slavery, "The Last Slave Ship" is Hurston's interview with Cudgo Lewis, the last survivor of the Clotilda. Lewis told Hurston about a rivalry between villages, his capture, the cruelty of the Dahomey king and the eradication of an entire tribe of people.

Here, Hurston writes of novelist Fanny Hurst, encouraging readers to sample Hurst's work. She mourns that white publishers of her time were reluctant to offer more diverse works because they believed that "the average American just cannot conceive of it." She writes first with pride about attending Howard University, then about what led to her disillusionment and why she called Negro colleges "Begging Joints."

She writes about noses and charm, being "a little colored girl," and of having no race. With barely simmering anger, she reveals her "Most Humiliating Jim Crow Experience." And she reports on the lengthy trial of Ruby McCollum, an experience that left Hurston in a dream "of fog and mist …"

For sure, "You Don't Know Us Negroes" isn't a book to take — or read — lightly.

From the beginning of the introduction to the very last words on McCollum, this book demands that readers stop and think about what's been said. It's natural that you would anyhow: much of what author Zora Neale Hurston observed in her day is still relevant now. Hurston died on the very cusp of the civil rights movement, and so racism and race issues feature highly in the works inside this book.

What's unexpected — and very delightful — is Hurston's voice. Some of these stories ring with a wonderful sense of sarcasm that tells you everything you need to know about Hurston's mindset. Some tales ache with frustration. Others spark like lightning in a jar.

This is a carry-it-everywhere-with-you kind of book, perfect for times when you need some introspection as diversion. "You Don't Know Us Negroes" is like that, and that's just the way it is. "You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays" can be found on store shelves on Jan. 18. WI ARIES Getting to the bottom of a wellness concern might prove frustrating at the start of the week. That's because it could be particularly tough to pinpoint what's real and what's not. Patience and postponing any action for the time being serve you well. Later, the cosmos urges you to consider new ways to broaden your horizons, hone your skills, and pursue your professional dreams. Cast a wide net while researching your options and you could land on a particularly exciting opportunity. Lucky Numbers: 13, 18, 39

TAURUS A blast of creativity could inspire you to work with colleagues on brainstorming and artistic endeavors at the week's start. Consider whether or not you feel drawn intuitively to a project. If so, it's the one you should move on. Later, you might have an increased sense of clarity around your current partnership or what you want from your next intimate bond. Lucky Numbers: 9, 19, 56

GEMINI At the beginning of the week, you might find a way to weave more self-care into your day. You'll be especially in tune with your intuition around this time, so make sure to trust what it's telling you, and let that guide your next steps. Later, if you've wanted to enjoy more one-on-one time with your significant other, closest friend, or a potential mate, the cosmos brings a perfect time to enjoy one another's company, work together toward a shared goal, and even take your bond to the next level. Lucky Numbers: 5, 6, 25

CANCER Consider having that important conversation with your partner or close colleague early in the week. You're able to connect intellectually, stick to the facts, and get closer to hitting a shared goal through hard work. Later, you could be feeling especially optimistic about a new fitness or healthful eating plan you'd like to try. Lucky Numbers: 8, 27, 47

LEO When the week begins, you might be prepared to pitch a bold, imaginative idea to higher-ups. Your sense of fun and playfulness comes through, but you might run the risk of being a bit too optimistic and overestimate just how much you can take on. Trying to lead with a more measured approach can help you stay on track and follow through. Lucky Numbers: 19, 36, 59

VIRGO You might find it's easier than ever to work closely with a colleague or a friend on a project that's close to your heart early in the week. Bouncing ideas back and forth and then leaning into one another's strengths can turn a wild dream into reality. Later, you'll be feeling passionate, joyful, and intently focused on new ways to express yourself with those you love. Let yourself revel in the moment and fully embrace your instincts to write or have colorful, flirtatious conversations. Lucky Numbers: 12, 33, 51

LIBRA You'll be one seriously happy social butterfly when the week begins. Not only will you be feeling jovial, but you'll be having a blast with friends, loved ones, neighbors, and colleagues. You'll be feeling optimistic about your existing relationships and psyched to meet and greet people outside of your circle to foster new connections. Lucky Numbers: 27, 39, 58

SCORPIO You might be feeling especially whimsical and loving early in the week. Make a point of sharing how you feel with your partner or someone else special. Anything you've been fantasizing about now can easily be turned into reality if you're willing to let yourself get swept away in the moment. Lucky Numbers: 4, 12, 21

SAGITTARIUS Setting an ambitious personal goal might very well be at the top of your mind when the week begins. You feel like you can take on the world and easily level up your day-to-day game so that you're able to make long-term dreams a reality. The more you can connect with others on what you want to achieve, the more successful you'll be! Lucky Numbers: 3, 7, 15

CAPRICORN Progress on a long-term professional goal is within sight at the start of the week. You'll be ready to get to work applying for a new opportunity or signing up for training that will allow you to hone your skill set. If it's time for you to make an important decision that could have reverberating effects on your career, you'll feel ready to make your move. Lucky Numbers: 4, 40, 45

AQUARIUS At the beginning of the week, you might struggle to get on the same page as your partner or close loved one when it comes to a crucial financial matter. The issue is that you don't have all the information you need. Wait until the haze passes and you'll land on a solution. Lucky Numbers: 15, 33, 50

PISCES Early in the week, you could be fantasizing about planning an exciting, long-distance trip or taking a class that allows you to expand your artistic skills and broaden your perspective. Allow yourself to bask in these thoughts, then consider which ones your heart is calling you to turn into concrete goals. If it feels right intuitively, it's worth pursuing. Lucky Numbers: 2, 8, 16