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American Artist Thelma Johnson Streat |
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The Artist Ms. Streat’s paintings have appeared in exhibits at such prestigious institutions as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), American Contemporary Gallery, Honolulu Academy of Art, San Francisco Museum of Art, DeYoung Memorial Museum, City of Paris Gallery, Art Institute of Chicago, and the Albany Institute of the History of Art. Her most famous painting, “Rabbit Man,” is part of MoMA’s permanent collection. During her years as a WPA artist, Streat worked with muralist Diego Rivera, sculptor Sargent Johnson, Ruben Kadish, and other notable figures of the San Francisco art scene. Artist Diego Rivera: “The work of Thelma Johnson Streat is in my opinion one of the most interesting manifestations in this country at the present. It is extremely evolved and sophisticated enough to reconquer the grace and purity of African and American art.” World personalities who have owned Ms. Streat’s work include actor Vincent Price, singer Roland Hayes, artist Diego Rivera, actress Fanny Brice, dancer Katherine Dunham, and actress Paulette Goddard. The Dancer In addition to being a prolific painter, Ms. Streat traveled to Haiti, Mexico and Canada to study traditional dance and culture. She was best known and loved for her work with children. Throughout her career, she performed interpretive dance, sang, told folk tales, taught, and showed her paintings to thousands of youngsters in Europe, Canada, and the United States. The Teacher With her husband, playwright John Edgar Kline, Ms. Streat founded Children’s City near Honolulu to introduce children to art and to the value of cultural diversity. Ms. Streat is included in “Who’s Who in American Art: 1940-41,” “Encyclopedia of the World,” “Reference Library of Black America,” “Who Was Who in American Art: 1898-1947,” "African-American Art," and featured in the summer 2005 issue of American Art magazine and numerous other publications. Please see the Sources page for more information.
Streat News --
JOIN US & SEE! Ms. Streat's work was exhibited at Rice University (Houston, Texas) as part of the university's Centennial exhibition, "Tradition Redefined: The Larry and Brenda Thompson Collection of African American Art" from September 13-November 18, 2012. It was received considerable praise. We'll let you know about upcoming exhibits.
WATCH! The History Detectives Investigate! View a feature episode on some mysterious artwork by Thelma Johnson Streat on the popular PBS television program.
FACEBOOK! Look for us on Facebook and find out all of the latest Thelma-related happenings at THELMA ON FACEBOOK and join in the conversation.
OWN YOUR OWN STREAT! A watercolor work mural shown in the PBS program History Detectives will be sold at auction on May 17 in Boston. You can bid live online, in person, over the phone or absentee. The mural, measuring approximately 15-1/2" by 15-3/4", is matted and framed and was exhibited in 2009 at the Portland (Oregon) Art Hop. Preview the piece at: Preview Painting Details at: Skinner
READ! Read about Ms. Streat in the new 2010 publication “Modern Women: Women Artists at the Museum of Modern Art” (MoMA). Packing a whopping 528 pages, you can learn more about all the great modern female artists.
THE THELMA JOHNSON STREAT PROJECT was organized in 1991 to:
(1) research Streat's life and work;
You may contact The Project by mail or email. Our mailing address is: Send email |
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