Awakening by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Thursday, June 11, 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

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