Emil Lukas was born in Pittsburgh, PA and received his BFA from Edinboro University. He held his first solo exhibition in 1985 and has hosted a solo exhibition every year since. He has exhibited throughout the United States and abroad.
 
His work resides in collections including, the Anderson Collection, Stanford University; Baltimore Museum of Art; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AK; Dakis Joannou Collection, Greece; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; Panza Collection, Italy; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and the Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC.