Ready For Battle by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Thursday, June 18, 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

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