Preparing to Sound the Alarm Lithograph by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Thursday, June 11, 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

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