Howard Thomas was an American artist born in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. He spent most of his childhood in Quaker communities, where his love for art, nature, and community grew. His subject matter initially consisted of blue-collar workers and African Americans with Southern landscapes as a backdrop. His style was influenced by Cubism. As he developed as an artist, his style became more abstract and akin to Pointillism. He taught at the high school and college levels and retired to painting and exhibiting his works.