Awakening by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Monday, June 15, 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 For You Next Generation Crew - Data Catching A Blessing Artist Proof (set of 2) Night In Day - Unframed Print Artist Proof Golden Breeze Framed Anniversary Edition James Cagney Star Trek Scotty 25th Anniversary Plate Forgiven Ready For Battle Beauty And The Beast CATCHING A BLESSING BOY HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Liberty Framed Print - Limited Edition Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set Swan Song Beauty And The Beast Magnificent Mare Next Generation Crew - Counselor Troi CATCHING A BLESSING GIRL HAND SIGNED ARTIST PROOF Star Wars Series - R2d2 And Wicket Little Pilot Adorable Boy And Girl Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Pinkie Poo Innocent Wonders Artist Signed Golden Breeze Anniversary Edition Star Trek Collector Plate 25th Anniversary Liberty Poster Print Beauty And The Beast The Vessel Zip Doodle Innocent Wonders 1988 Wizard Of Oz The Great And Powerful Oz Star Wars Series - Luke And Darth Vader Dinky Toot Innocent Wonders Beauty And The Beast - Unframed Print Little Pilot Adorable Girl Hand Signed Artist Proof Super Bowl XXXVII Commemorative Poster Now What? Lithograph Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph Next Generation Crew - Lt. Worf Classic Movie Monsters Intimacy (serigraph) Unframed Original Release Artist Proof Waggletag Du Sable-Commemorative Pane Intimacy (serigraph) Original Release Liberty Print Only - Limited Edition Wizard Of Oz - A Glimpse Of The Munchkins Star Trek Dr. Mccoy 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Hikaru Sulu 25th Anniversary Plate Star Trek Lt. Uhura 25th Anniversary Plate 1988 Wizard Of Oz 1988 Wizard Of Oz If I Were King Of The Forest Angel At Rest TWINKY WINK CLOWN Next Generation Crew - Dr. Crusher Texas Chillin Lithograph Intimacy Anniversary Edition Number 2 1988 Wizard Of Oz Dorothy Meets The Scarecrow Watchers In The Night (canvas Edition) With Forgiven Witness Cards Little Pilot Adorable Boy Hand Signed Artist Proof Angel At Rest Artist Proof Hand Signed By Thomas Blackshear Next Generation Crew - Geordi Laforge Star Trek Picard - The Next Generation 1988 Wizard Of Oz We're Off To See The Wizard Star Trek Captain Kirk 25th Anniversary Plate Indian Paint Brush Rustic Decorative Stand The Sound Of Victory Star Trek Mr. Spock 25th Anniversary Plate The Watcher Star Trek Riker - The Next Generation