Ready For Battle 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

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