Thomas Blackshear facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Blackshear II
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Thomas Blackshear II at work in his studio
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Thomas Richman Blackshear II
November 14, 1955 Waco, Texas, United States
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| Occupation | Artist |
| Years active | 1987-present |
Thomas Richman Blackshear II, born on November 14, 1955, is a famous African-American artist. He creates beautiful paintings, many of which are in churches. He also makes sculptures and designs stamps. His art often shows themes from African-American culture or the American West.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Blackshear was born in Waco, Texas. He spent his childhood growing up in Atlanta, Georgia. He later studied art at two well-known schools. First, he attended the Art Institute of Chicago. After that, he went to the American Academy of Art in Chicago.
After finishing his studies in 1977, Blackshear worked for Hallmark Cards. He worked there for one year, gaining experience.
Artistic Career and Achievements
Blackshear's designs have been shown in many important places. His art is part of museum collections. It has also appeared on postage stamps and music albums.
Stamp Designs for the USPS
Thomas Blackshear has created many illustrations for postage stamps. These stamps were issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS).
- Black Heritage Series
These stamps honor important African-American figures.
- Jean Baptiste Point du Sable – 22¢ – issued February 20, 1987
- James W. Johnson – 22¢ – issued February 2, 1988
- Asa Philip Randolph – 25¢ – issued February 3, 1989
- Ida B. Wells – 25¢ – issued February 1, 1990
- Dorothy Height – 49¢ (Forever stamp) – issued February 2, 2017 (with Lateef Mangum)
- Single Stamps
- Joe Louis – 29¢ – issued June 22, 1993
- Legends of American Music: Jazz Musicians
Ten 32¢ stamps were issued on September 16, 1995. Dean Mitchell designed the series, and Blackshear did the illustrations.
- Eubie Blake
- Jelly Roll Morton
- James P. Johnson
- Erroll Garner
- Thelonious Monk
- Coleman Hawkins
- Charlie Parker
- John Coltrane
- Louis Armstrong
- Charles Mingus
- Hollywood's Golden Era Movie Series
Four stamps were released on March 23, 1990, in Hollywood. This was before the 62nd Academy Awards. The stamps celebrated movies that were nominated for awards in 1939. Each stamp looks like a small movie poster.
- The Wizard of Oz
- Gone with the Wind
- Stagecoach
- Beau Geste
- Classic Movie Monsters
Five movie monster stamps were issued on September 30, 1997. They came in a sheet of twenty 32¢ stamps. The edge of the sheet shows a photo of each actor and their signature. Derry Noyes designed the series, and Blackshear created the illustrations.
- Bela Lugosi as Dracula
- Lon Chaney as The Phantom of the Opera
- Lon Chaney, Jr., as The Wolf Man
- Boris Karloff as The Mummy
- Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster
- Stars of Stage and Screen
- James Cagney – single – 33¢ – issued July 22, 1999 (illustrated by Blackshear)
- Literary Arts
- James Baldwin – single – 37¢ – issued June 24, 2004
- Nobel Peace Prize / Humanitarian
- Mother Teresa – issued September 5, 2010
Exhibitions and Other Works
A special exhibit of Blackshear's Black Heritage works started in 1992. It first opened at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Blackshear also illustrated a USPS book. It was called I Have A Dream: A Collection of Black Americans on U.S. Postage Stamps (1991).
Blackshear's artwork is featured on the cover of the album Imploding the Mirage (2020). This is the sixth album by the American rock band The Killers. His original oil paintings, in a style called Western Nouveau, can be seen at the Broadmoor Galleries in Colorado Springs. Blackshear also created art for video game boxes, like Karateka (1984).
His oil painting Forgiven (1991) is part of the collection at the Museum of Biblical Art, Dallas. Another oil painting, Now What? (2008), is at the Booth Western Art Museum. Blackshear's paintings are often shown at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Personal Life
Thomas Blackshear is married to Ami Beth Smith. They met while studying at the American Academy of Art College in Chicago. The couple has one son. They live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Blackshear has been a Christian since he was young. He believes that his marriage and artistic success are gifts from God. He once said, "So many things that have come my way during my career are blessings from God."
Awards and Honors
- 2020 Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame
- Distinguished Alumnus Award from the American Academy of Art in Chicago in 2013.
- Artist Choice Award at the Gene Autry Masters of the West Show in 2018.
- James R. Parks Trustees Purchase Award for the painting “Wild West Show!” in 2019.
- Express Ranches Great American Cowboy Award for the painting “Two Americans of the Old West” at the Prix de West in 2022.
- Prix de West Purchase Award for the painting “A Much Needed Break” in 2024.
- Artist Excellence Award sponsored by Art of the West magazine in 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Thomas Blackshear para niños
