Indian Paint Brush by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Monday, June 8, 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 Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Next Generation Crew - Data Swan Song Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition For You Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear The Watcher Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Ready For Battle Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Beauty And The Beast Texas Chillin Lithograph Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate 1988 Wizard Of Oz Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate The Vessel Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 Waggletag Now What? Lithograph Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print The Sound Of Victory Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf Classic Movie Monsters Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders Beauty And The Beast Liberty Poster Print Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Awakening Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph Rustic Decorative Stand Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Angel At Rest Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Magnificent Mare Forgiven Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Beauty And The Beast Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed TWINKY WINK CLOWN Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release James Cagney Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins