Indian Paint Brush by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Tuesday, June 16, 2026

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Thomas Blackshear portrait

THOMAS BLACKSHEAR II, the son of an Air Force captain, was born in Waco, Texas, and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. "Drawing was all I ever liked to do," he says. "While all the other guys were playing baseball or basketball, I was in my house, drawing." He pursued an interest in art throughout high school, securing a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago. After a year there, he transferred to the nearby Academy of Art. While finishing his college education, he was recruited by Hallmark Cards and later became the apprentice of illustrator Mark English. <br><BR>
Blackshear settled in Kansas City, where he became head illustrator at the prestigious Godbold/Richter Studio. A year later, he began a prosperous freelance career, illustrating many advertisements, several U.S. Postal Service stamp collections - one called "Black Heritage," another on classic movies, and a third on jazz musicians - and several series of Hamilton Group collector s plates featuring scenes from Star Wars, Star Trek, and The Wizard of Oz. Although he was successful, he was dissatisfied and decided to pursue a career in fine art.<br><BR>


Blackshear has received many awards for his artwork, including the Society of Illustrators coveted Gold Medal. He was profiled on The Living Canvas, an art magazine of the airwaves that was shown on public television, and he has been featured on the Ebony/Jet Showcase and The 700 Club, and in The Saturday Evening Post. An exhibit of his original works for the Black Heritage stamp series premiered in 1992 at the Smithsonian s National Museum of American History and subsequently toured the United States.<br><BR>


Browse and enjoy the great African American Art work from one of Today's most collected African American Artists, Thomas Blackshear..

Thomas Blackshear Current Portfolio

Indian Paint Brush Beauty And The Beast Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Beauty And The Beast Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release Angel At Rest Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set For You TWINKY WINK CLOWN Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders Rustic Decorative Stand Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition The Sound Of Victory The Watcher Ready For Battle Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Classic Movie Monsters Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate The Vessel Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Awakening Forgiven Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Waggletag Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Now What? Lithograph Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Texas Chillin Lithograph Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear 1988 Wizard Of Oz Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Magnificent Mare Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation James Cagney Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Next Generation Crew - Data Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof Swan Song Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi Beauty And The Beast Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Liberty Poster Print Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph