Texas Chillin Lithograph 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

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