Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Tuesday, June 23, 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 Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof TWINKY WINK CLOWN The Watcher Waggletag Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof Ready For Battle CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket The Sound Of Victory Swan Song Awakening Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders 1988 Wizard Of Oz Forgiven Rustic Decorative Stand Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition Beauty And The Beast Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF James Cagney Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print Next Generation Crew - Data Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation Liberty Poster Print Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders Beauty And The Beast Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge The Vessel Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition Texas Chillin Lithograph Angel At Rest Now What? Lithograph Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) For You Indian Paint Brush Beauty And The Beast 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Classic Movie Monsters Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate Magnificent Mare