Swan Song by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Friday, June 19, 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

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