Thomas Downing American, 1928-1985

Thomas Downing is a founding member of the Washington Color School, known for the precision and expansive spatiality of his compositions. After moving to Washington, D.C. in the early 1950s, he befriended fellow painter Kenneth Noland, whose interest in formalism and color theory heavily influenced his work. Within his practice, dots are a central motif, frequently taking the form of a grid of concentric circles. These dots often served as the structural framework for each painting, with their size and positioning serving as the primary determinant for the outcome of a composition. Exploring the relationship between space and color, dual notions of density and expansion compete for precedence in his work. As he became more interested in spatial dimensions later in his career, he moved away from the traditional rectangular format to create shaped canvases. Regardless of form, Downing’s unwavering interest in tonal modulation solidified his legacy as one of the key figures of the Washington Color School. 

Thomas Downing (American, 1928—1985) received a BA in English literature in 1948. He later studied painting at the Pratt Institute and through the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. His work has been exhibited widely, with notable inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art’s influential 1965 exhibition, The Responsive Eye. His work has additionally been showcased at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, CA, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, NY, the Philadelphia Art Museum in Philadelphia, PA, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, CA. 

Works by the artist are held in the permanent collections of numerous public and private institutions including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; the Phillips Collection, Washington, DC; the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY.