Texas Chillin Lithograph 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

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