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artists in the metropolitan area provided an exciting and challenging arena for her growth and inspiration. Another source of inspiration was "The Little Paris Studio", modeled after the Academie Julian ateliers which Lois Jones favored from her experiences in France. Located on the top floor of her residence, 1220 Quincy Street, N.E., she and Celine invited local artists/teachers and other talents to join them. As Jones recalled: ...The Little Paris Studio was a very interesting project because it brought together a group, a nucleus of artists including Alma Thomas, Delilah Pierce, Richard Dempsey, Ruth Brown, Don Roberts and others. Oh, we had some of a good dozen of the art teachers and talented people in the city, in the community who worked with us.... It was more of a group working together in that studio, with me and Celine arranging models and setting up various arrangements of still lives around the studio. It was a very delightful atmosphere to work in.... 51 Meeting twice a week, the group honed their skills and exchanged critiques of recent works. Each artist completed approximately six compositions within an academic season, forming the basis for an exhibition in the spring. The meetings of "The Little Paris Studio" continued for over five years, and the exhibitions kept them inspired in an era when it was difficult for African American artists to exhibit their work. Thomas's interaction with the artists at Jones's studio was enough incentive for her to consider returning to the university classroom. At age 59 in 1950, the artist enrolled at The American University to study painting, continuing there 21