CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF 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

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