Lava Thomas is a native of Los Angeles, California. She was educated at UCLA’s School of Art Practice and California College of the Arts, where she received her BFA. Her diverse artistic practice includes drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking and installations.

Her work has been exhibited at various institutions including:  Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, International Print Center in NY, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the CA African American Museum in Los Angeles, Riverside Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art in Boulder, Colorado, Wight Gallery at UCLA, San Francisco Art Commission Gallery, San Jose Institute for Contemporary Art, Berkeley Art Center, Palo Art Center, and in the collection of the United States Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Thomas is a Djerassi Resident Artists Program Fellow. She is a former board member of the Djerassi Resident Artists Program and the Alliance of Artists Communities. Lava Thomas is represented by Rena Bransten Projects in San Francisco, CA.