Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Wednesday, June 17, 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 Classic Movie Monsters Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release Awakening 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Forgiven Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi Beauty And The Beast Liberty Poster Print Now What? Lithograph Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders TWINKY WINK CLOWN Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print Next Generation Crew - Data CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Rustic Decorative Stand James Cagney The Vessel Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary Beauty And The Beast Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf Angel At Rest Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Swan Song Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Indian Paint Brush Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate Ready For Battle Magnificent Mare Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Beauty And The Beast Texas Chillin Lithograph The Sound Of Victory Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate 1988 Wizard Of Oz Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation The Watcher 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Waggletag Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition For You 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders