Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Tuesday, June 23, 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

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