Important Black African American Modern Oil Painting, Thomas Blackshear II

  
This is a remarkable and Important Black African American Modern Oil, Gouache, and Watercolor on paper painting, which is a conceptual study painting by Thomas Blackshear II for his famous 1985 Night in Day painting, which was widely acclaimed, and inspired an avidly collected lithographic series and line of collectible figurines. In regard to the importance of this artwork, Blackshear stated that: Night in Day is my breakthrough painting. I guess you could say that this was the first piece that helped me get in touch with who I'm becoming...

I wanted to create a new piece for the Society of Illustrators art show in San Francisco, and Day in Night became my breakthrough. It was the first time I saw a painting in my head before I did it. I even knew the name of it. Every piece I did from that point on was different. I had a new goal, a new outlook, and a new reason for what I was doing.

The painting Night in Day represents the nighttime wrapped in daylight, but it also symbolizes any person's emergence from the darkness of doubt into the light of love and hope. Blackshear's mastery of light and dark, influenced by such illustrators of the "Golden Age" as Maxfield Parish and N. Wyeth, creates a timeless, landmark image. The final rendition of Night in Day was created after Blackshear experienced a three-year depression. The artist prayed for inspiration for a painting to display in an upcoming art show.

In 1985, Night in Day was the first artwork he created after this long period of depression. In regard to this painting, the artist states: Christ lifted me out of depression. The image of a man emerging out of darkness, into the light, testifies to this experience. Toni Morison's book, Song of Solomon, features Night in Day as the cover art. This piece is approximately 9 x 12 1/2 inches including frame. Actual visible artwork is approximately 5 x 8 1/2 inches. Signed: "Thomas Blackshear II" in ink in the lower right corner. This rare artwork represents Blackshear's most famous, and culturally important artistic contribution to the world. Acquired from an affluent collection in Los Angeles County, California. If you like what you see, I encourage you to make an Offer. Please check out my other listings for more wonderful and unique artworks! 1955 Waco, TX Thomas Blackshear went to work for the Hallmark Card Company in Kansas City MO for one year after his 1977 graduation from the American Academy of Art in Chicago.

While there he met the famous illustrator Mark English and became his apprentice for several months. In 1980 he worked as head illustrator for Godbold/Richter Studio.

He became a freelance illustrator in 1982 and has been self-employed ever since. His clients range from Disney Pictures, George Lucas Studios and Universal Studios to International Wildlife and National Geographic Magazine.

He also illustrated a commemorative stamp book entitled I Have a Dream. Seventeen of his original paintings from the publication were exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D. And toured the country for eight years. Thomas has also designed and executed illustrations for four collector's plate series, including Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, Star Trek and Star Trek, the Next Generation.

He is known for his bestselling Christian prints produced for Day Spring's Masterpiece Collection, including Forgiven, Coat of Many Colors, Lord of All, Watchers in the Night and Liberty. In 1995 Blackshear created his most popular art line today. Blackshear has taught three semesters at the San Francisco Academy of Art College, as well as lectured at numerous workshops throughout the country. He is also known internationally, having taught a workshop in Sweden and toured German Air Force bases twice. In 2006 at his show in Vatican Thomas unveiled his painting of Pope John Paul II for the 25th Anniversary of the Pope John Paul II Foundation.

Autry Museum of the American West, Masters of the American West, Los Angeles, CA, 2018-Present. Pope John Paul II Foundation, Vatican, Rome, Italy 2006 Selected Press. Western Art Collector, September 2019. Society of Illustrators Annuals 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th, 30th. American Illustrators Today, Volume II Awards.

Autry Museum of the American West, Masters of the American West, James R. Thomas has been inducted into the Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame. After graduating in 1977 from the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Thomas Blackshear worked for a year for the Hallmark Card Company in Kansas City, Missouri.

While there, he met the famous illustrator Mark English and became his apprentice for several months. By 1980, he was working as head illustrator for Godbold/Richter Studio.

His clients range from Disney Pictures, George Lucas Studios, and Universal Studios to. Blackshear has also designed and executed illustrations for four collectors' plate series. He won Artist of the Year in 1999 for that line from the National Association of Limited Edition Dealers and the prestigious International Collectible Artist of the Year Award in 2001.

In 2006, Blackshear had a one-man show through the Vatican in Rome. There he unveiled his painting of Pope John Paul II for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Pope John Paul II Foundation. Blackshear's work has appeared in the.

Annuals 24, 25, 27, 28, and 30, and in Volume 2 of. His many awards included Gold and Silver Honors in the 1982 Kansas City Art Directors Club; two Gold Awards and Best of Show in 1986, Best of Show in 1989, and two Gold Awards in the 1990. A Gold Medal in the 1988. Two Silver Awards in the 1989 San Francisco Society of Illustrators Show; and the Plate of the Year Achievement Award in 1990.

His paintings are displayed at the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas, and the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. Thomas Blackshear II is represented by Broadmoor Galleries, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Trailside Galleries, Jackson, Wyoming, and Scottsdale, Arizona. Thomas Blackshear II went to work for the Hallmark Card Company in Kansas City, MO for one year after his 1977 graduation from the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He also illustrated a commemorative stamp book entitled I Have a Dream. Thomas has also designed and executed illustrations for four collector's plate series, including Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, Star Trek, and Star Trek, the Next Generation.

He is known for his bestselling Christian prints produced for Day Spring's Masterpiece Collection, including "Forgiven, " "Coat of Many Colors, Lord of All, " "Watchers in the Night, " and Liberty. Blackshear has taught three semesters at the San Francisco Academy of Art College as well as lectured at numerous workshops throughout the country. In 2006, at his show in the Vatican, Thomas unveiled his painting of Pope John Paul II for the 25th Anniversary of the Pope John Paul II Foundation.

Thomas Blackshear is a renowned painter and sculptor. Blackshear was born in Waco, Texas on November 14, 1955 to Thomas Richman Blackshear, a U. Air Force pilot, and his wife, whose name is unknown.

Mostly raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Blackshear loved to draw. Upon finishing high school, the Art Institute of Chicago awarded him a scholarship. After only spending one year there, he enrolled in Chicago's American Academy of Art and found employment at the Hallmark Card Company in Kansas City, Missouri. He apprenticed under noted American illustrator Mark English. In 1977, Blackshear graduated and, in 1982 after a short stint as head illustrator for Godbold/ Richter Studio, a Kansas City firm, he launched his career as a freelance artist.

Blackshear's career spanned a wide array of artistic expression. His early production included more than 140 illustrations for Anheuser-Busch, Lucasfilm (Star Wars and Star Trek movies), Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Smirnoff Vodka, 7-Up, Coca-Cola, The Walt Disney Company, National Geographic, and the Milton Bradley Company.

In the early 1990s, he was contacted by fellow black illustrator Jerry Pinkney to work on stamp portraits in the Black Heritage series issued by the U. The series premiered in 1992 at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and later exhibited across the nation. The majority of these stamp portraits featured distinguished African Americans such as James Weldon Johnson, Dorothy Height, and Ida B.

He also completed a Jazz Series and commemorative stamps for actor James Cagney and classic Hollywood movies that included Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, and Beau Geste. In addition, the Hamilton Group commissioned him to do four scenes for collector plates. With a relentless work ethic, Blackshear boasted an impressive number of artworks but his personal life suffered. When his parents divorced, he felt adrift and lonely.

He turned to his religious faith to lift himself out of depression and reconnected with Ami Beth Smith, a college friend that he later married. Well-known and highly respected in the religious art world, Blackshear's colorful, emotion-infused paintings of Christ and other Biblical figures enhanced the interior walls of numerous churches. Since the mid-1990s, he created a profitable venture known as the "Ebony Visions" project. This large and varied collection of skillfully painted religious and historical figurines humanized African Americans.

In 2000, he expanded his celebration of black life figurines with the collection, "The Blackshear Jamboree Parade, " centered on youthful enjoyments. Other themed collections followed reflecting religious praise and often whimsical, romanticized renderings of common folk appreciating everyday events.

Because of his success, Blackshear has lectured and conducted workshops in Germany and Sweden and taught for three semesters at the San Francisco Academy of Art College. In 2006, he presented his painting of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. Among his other recognitions are the 1988 Gold Medal of the National Society of Illustrators and the 2001 International Collectible Artist of the Year Award. The father of one son, Elisha, Blackshear resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Night In Day Unframed Canvas is a Special Limited Edition Anniversary Release.

Night in Day is my breakthrough painting. I guess you could say that this was the first piece that helped me get in touch with who I'm becoming.

" --- Thomas Blackshear II "I wanted to create a new piece for the Society of Illustrators art show in San Francisco, " says Blackshear, " and Night in Day became my breakthrough. Night in Day represents the nighttime wrapped in daylight, but it also symbolizes any person's emergence from the darkness of doubt into the light of love and hope. Blackshear's mastery of light and dark, influenced by such illustrators of the "golden age" as Maxfield Parrish and N. NOTES: Night in Day, the painting came to Thomas after he experienced a three year depression. "I lost confidence in my art, " he explains. I was in an enviable position job wise, but there was no joy in my work.

All I had left was my faith in God, and then I realized I had it all because of my faith. Thomas prayed for inspiration for a painting to display in an upcoming art show.

In 1985, Night in Day was the first work he did after his period of depression. "Christ lifted me out of depression, " he says.