Tiptoe Through the Tulips 1969

Alma Thomas' "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" is painted on canvas with acrylic. The picture surface is built up through countless small strokes of pure color; she called this technique "Alma's Stripes." It is mesmerizing to consider her technique. The labor-intensive process results in a shimmering effect, as if the canvas itself is vibrating. It moves beyond a simple description of tulips, and instead captures their essence – the joy and energy of a garden in full bloom. Thomas's meticulous process also speaks to a broader context. Trained as a teacher, and working in a segregated school system for most of her career, she came to painting later in life. Her approach balances the formalist concerns with the history of craft traditions, of intensive, repetitive work, and the production of beauty. The painting embodies labor and pleasure, discipline and freedom. Through her unique and time-intensive methods, she elevates the act of painting to a realm of pure, unadulterated joy.