Awakening by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Monday, June 22, 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

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