A WOMAN OF COLOR "I paint in color. I live in color. I breathe in color."
art for our time
About Greta
Her History of Color
My work reflects a journey shaped by the soulful rhythms of Motown and the timeless elegance of classical music. Raised in Washington, DC, I discovered the transformative power of color during Saturday morning art classes—a spark that lit a lifelong creative fire.
Her Dreams in Color
I am drawn to scenes that pulse with vibrant energy, seeking to capture everyday moments and transform them into something magical. My abstractly real and sensual approach brings thought and emotion from the invisible to the visible, using color as a form of language.
Her Art with Color
Colors of Kente cloth, Zimbabwean Shona art, Bearden, Lois Mallou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, Derain, Leger, Jean Cocteau, Miro, and Picasso My work incorporates influences from modern painters as well as indigenous tribal colors and patterns from Leon Berkowitz, the Washington Color School, Henry Jackson, Jack Whitten, and Oliver Lee Jackson. I create, write, and live to make the invisible visible.
Through the use of mysterious shapes and vibrating colors, my art becomes a unique reflection of my innermost expressions. It is my hope that each piece transports viewers to a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary—inviting them to rediscover the beauty and wonder that exists all around us.
“If you are only moved by color relationships, then you miss the point. My paintings are about basic human emotions—tragedy, ecstasy, and doom.” — Mark Rothko
Her Statement
The narrative of one’s art is a living document, evolving through phases. Without any conscious effort on my part, my practice has pushed visions out of my soul that have lingered for years. The most important lesson I have learned is to get out of my own way and let the art lead me.
I am drawn to artists, both male and female, whose sensibilities allow them to look intimately at the feminine mystic. Women express openly among themselves emotion and spirituality. To me, feminism means possessing unparalleled physical strength to quite literally push humanity forward. Feminism silently and profoundly influences my work. Women are the species I know best.
I am originally from Washington, DC, and have lived in New York, New Mexico, and Italy. My work is abstractly real. The techniques I employ are driven by classical art “isms,” indigenous tribal art, and a mysterious ancestral DNA. I spend time reading, studying, and collecting mentors to deepen my artistic practice.
My influences include Wilfredo Lam, Picasso, Matisse, Leon Berkowitz, Alma Thomas, and other members of the Washington Color School, as well as contemporary artists who engage with me in conversations about art, politics, and the concepts of life: Lillian Burwell, Jack Whitten, Oliver Lee Jackson, Akili Anderson, Jimmy James Green, and Patricia Michaels.
I am driven to tell the story of my time through the eyes of a Black artist.
Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man’s inhumanity to man.”
Alma W. Thomas
