Thomas Blackshear
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Thomas Blackshear is a United States African American artist, many of whose paintings adorn Evangelical churches, notably the New Life Church and World Prayer Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is also a sculptor and a designer of figurines, often on African American themes.
Jeff Sharlet describes his religiously-themed work, such as The Vessel (which is in the World Prayer Center) as "…compelling… [in] its unabashed eroticism; it aims to turn you on, and then to turn that passion toward Jesus."[1]
Blackshear designed illustrations for numerous postage stamps issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS),[2] including four in the Black Heritage stamp series:[3]
- Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, Scott # 2249, issued February 20, 1987
- James W. Johnson, Scott # 2371, issued February 2, 1988
- Asa Philip Randolph, Scott # 2402, issued February 3, 1989
- Ida B. Wells, Scott # 2442, issued February 1, 1990
A touring exhibit of his Black Heritage works premiered in 1992 at the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History.[4]
Other U.S. postage stamps with Blackshear illustrations include portraits of Joe Louis, Jelly Roll Morton and Thelonious Monk for the Jazz Series, and illustrations for stamps commemorating James Cagney, The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Beau Geste and Stagecoach for the Classic Hollywood Movies series, as well as several stamps for Classic Movie Monsters. He also illustrated the USPS book I Have A Dream: A Collection of Black Americans on U.S. Postage Stamps (1991).[2]
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Sharlet, 2005, 46)
- ^ a b Biographical notes, Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections. Accessed online 5 November 2006.
- ^ Black Heritage Stamp Issues 1978 to 2002, Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections. Accessed online 5 November 2006.
- ^ Thomas Blackshear II, GreenwichWorkshop.com. Accessed online 5 November 2006.
- Jeff Sharlet (2005). "Soldiers of Christ: I. Inside America's most powerful megachurch". Harper's 310 (1860): 41-54. . The article is illustrated with Blackshear's artwork.
[edit] External links
- Thomas Blackshear Art & Print Gallery from Tapestry Productions
- Thomas Blackshear Art Gallery from The Collection Shop
- Thomas Blackshear Ebony Visions Collection
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