Swan Song 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

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