Awakening 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

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