CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Monday, June 15, 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

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