Waggletag by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Sunday, June 21, 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

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