Black Heritage Jean Baptiste Set by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Tuesday, June 9, 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

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