Dr. Thomas Elias Lockhart III is an internationally acclaimed mixed media fine artist from Denver, Colorado. Entirely self-taught, Lockhart’s practice bridges tradition, innovation, and cultural storytelling. His works have been exhibited at institutions including the Museum of Boulder, MOA Museum of Art in Fort Collins, the Colorado State Capitol, the Lucy Craft Laney Museum, and the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, with additional exhibitions in galleries nationwide.

His collectors include NFL athletes Maurkice Pouncey, Von Miller, Casey Hampton, and Coach Mike Tomlin, as well as Tyler Perry Studios and Ilyasah Shabazz. His work has also appeared in Netflix’s Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America and PBS’s Painting History. Lockhart has received numerous honors, including an Honorary Doctorate in Arts & Culture, the 2023 Titans Award, the 60 Masters Award, and the Spectrum Art Basel Director’s Award for Best Solo Artist.

Beyond the canvas, he mentors youth and encourages imagination as a pathway to self-discovery and empowerment. Lockhart paints and draws to inspire. He creates to leave history and to bring people together through shared heartache, trials, and victories—wanting viewers to leave his work better than they arrived.

His spirit-driven process begins with a blank black canvas, creating immediate depth and contrast. He sketches what he sees in his mind’s eye—images received through dreams or spiritual guidance. Inspiration comes from music, movement, life stories, and current events. He layers fabric, paper, and metal to build texture and complexity, allowing each work’s journey from conception to completion to unfold uniquely. Lockhart’s style moves fluidly across genres and techniques; when asked what his style is, his answer is: all of them.