Indian Paint Brush by Thomas Blackshear

Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery

Gallery updated on Tuesday, June 9, 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

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