Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Wednesday, June 17, 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

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