Awakening by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Thursday, June 18, 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 Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate James Cagney Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Beauty And The Beast Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph Beauty And The Beast Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster Indian Paint Brush Beauty And The Beast Waggletag Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Magnificent Mare Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi Now What? Lithograph Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF TWINKY WINK CLOWN For You Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Next Generation Crew - Data Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set Rustic Decorative Stand Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Swan Song The Sound Of Victory 1988 Wizard Of Oz Texas Chillin Lithograph Forgiven CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Ready For Battle Angel At Rest Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof The Vessel Liberty Poster Print Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate The Watcher Classic Movie Monsters Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf