Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Tuesday, June 9, 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 Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz Beauty And The Beast CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Swan Song Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Rustic Decorative Stand Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Awakening Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof Ready For Battle Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi Indian Paint Brush Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Beauty And The Beast Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Angel At Rest Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate 1988 Wizard Of Oz Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster Forgiven Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate The Vessel Waggletag Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Now What? Lithograph Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate Next Generation Crew - Data For You Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation Beauty And The Beast 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation TWINKY WINK CLOWN Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher Liberty Poster Print Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof The Sound Of Victory Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Texas Chillin Lithograph Classic Movie Monsters The Watcher CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 James Cagney Magnificent Mare