Awakening by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Thursday, June 18, 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 Now What? Lithograph Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print The Watcher Classic Movie Monsters CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary Texas Chillin Lithograph Indian Paint Brush Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Sound Of Victory Beauty And The Beast Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders Beauty And The Beast Rustic Decorative Stand Du Sable-Commemorative Pane James Cagney Angel At Rest Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Liberty Poster Print 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof TWINKY WINK CLOWN Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader For You Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz Waggletag Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate The Vessel Magnificent Mare Ready For Battle Next Generation Crew - Data Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Swan Song Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 Forgiven Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Beauty And The Beast