James Cagney by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Tuesday, June 16, 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

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