Indian Paint Brush 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

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