Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Monday, June 8, 2026

Authorized Dealer Limited Editions Numbered Series
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

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