Swan Song by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Thursday, June 18, 2026

Authorized Dealer Limited Editions Numbered Series
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

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