Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Sunday, June 21, 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 Liberty Poster Print Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders James Cagney Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi The Watcher Swan Song Classic Movie Monsters Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Forgiven Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader Beauty And The Beast CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition 1988 Wizard Of Oz Beauty And The Beast 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz Angel At Rest Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Next Generation Crew - Data Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Magnificent Mare Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation Now What? Lithograph The Sound Of Victory Ready For Battle Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders Texas Chillin Lithograph TWINKY WINK CLOWN Beauty And The Beast Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Rustic Decorative Stand Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release The Vessel Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF For You Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary Awakening Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation Indian Paint Brush Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof Waggletag