Florence, the Artist
Florence Thomas, a soft-spoken farm woman, was probably the greatest artist—with many hundreds of paintings—the High Country has ever produced. Born in 1909 in Ashe County, North Carolina, near the Virginia line, she lived nearby until her life ended peacefully on March 30, 2007, at age 98.
She captured the soul and the mystery, and ultimately the comfort, of common things—farm animals, flowers, landscapes—found around her rural Appalachian home. Her paintings convey mood with color, leaving the viewer with feelings and admiration both.
Florence began her formal study of art in 1930, when she studied with Carolyn Wyeth, sister of Andrew, in Chadd’s Ford, Pennsylvania. Her art education continued at schools in Maine, Florida, North Carolina, and Cape Cod. Her work has been exhibited in many museums and galleries over the years.
She taught art for Wilkes Community College, holding painting classes in her basement for students from five counties. “I tried to teach the fundamentals so they could go from there and work on their own. I told them if they lost their originality, they’ve lost everything.”
After twenty years, needing to return to her own painting, Florence gave up teaching. She then formed the Blue Ridge Art Clan (still active today) to pool resources “so we could bring teachers to the county and my students could continue to get critiques on their work.”
With the new school in Glendale Springs, the spirit and lessons of her loving presence will continue to inspire students into the future.
She captured the soul and the mystery, and ultimately the comfort, of common things—farm animals, flowers, landscapes—found around her rural Appalachian home. Her paintings convey mood with color, leaving the viewer with feelings and admiration both.
Florence began her formal study of art in 1930, when she studied with Carolyn Wyeth, sister of Andrew, in Chadd’s Ford, Pennsylvania. Her art education continued at schools in Maine, Florida, North Carolina, and Cape Cod. Her work has been exhibited in many museums and galleries over the years.
She taught art for Wilkes Community College, holding painting classes in her basement for students from five counties. “I tried to teach the fundamentals so they could go from there and work on their own. I told them if they lost their originality, they’ve lost everything.”
After twenty years, needing to return to her own painting, Florence gave up teaching. She then formed the Blue Ridge Art Clan (still active today) to pool resources “so we could bring teachers to the county and my students could continue to get critiques on their work.”
With the new school in Glendale Springs, the spirit and lessons of her loving presence will continue to inspire students into the future.