Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum invites visitors to see the world through the eyes of Alma Thomas, the iconic American artist who created a style of her own with dazzling interplays of patterns and vibrant colors.

Composing Color explores the life of the groundbreaking American artist and educator, drawing on the extensive holdings of her paintings at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). Thomas's abstract style is distinct, where color is symbolic and multisensory, evoking sound, motion, temperature, and even scent. The exhibition is organized around the artist’s favorite themes of space, earth, and music.