Celebrate Black History Month With A Gift Of Historical Significance From Thomas Blackshear's Award-Winning Collection

Online, January 7, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Now that the holiday season is over, what better way to ring in the New Year than to start making plans for a Black History Month Celebration? Only a few weeks away, the month of February is set aside to focus on the many momentous events and courageous feats of Black Americans. Just in time to commemorate some of these great contributions, internationally acclaimed artist, Thomas Blackshear unveils several new designs of historical significance. Each piece of his collection can be purchased from Blackshear Online for yourself or as a thought-provoking gift that will arouse interest and inspire style for any decor.

BARACK OBAMA FIGURINE & BUST
Beginning with the highest office in the land, Blackshear presents a handsome figurine of our 44th President and Commander in Chief, Barack Obama, an artistically detailed rendition produced by the famous Lenox China Company, our president stands in front of two American flags as he looks toward the future as Leader of the Free World.

In a candid interview, Thomas explains the inspiration that led him to create the Obama figurine. "The reason why I wanted to do the Obama piece was because something was happening in this country that had never been done before. This was a piece of history that was unfolding right before our eyes. Who ever thought that we would have a black president in our life time, and it's already happened."

Winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, Obama's election was a historic event, not only for Black History but for the history of the United States. In addition to the figurine, Blackshear is introducing the Barack Obama Bust, a stately sculpture that adds distinction to any room. Both presidential pieces ship February in plenty of time to celebrate Black History Month.

THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN
Taking a step back in time, Blackshear salutes The Tuskegee Airmen of WWII, dedicated, determined young black men who enlisted to become America's first black military airmen. Part of the award winning Ebony Visions™ collection and a first in its series, The Airman is a realistically detailed figurine that portrays the proud courage of those brave men who fought for America while battling racial injustice both here and abroad. History buffs and military collectors will appreciate the authenticity of the airman's flight gear. An honorable piece that is sure to incite intelligent conversation and in-depth studies into the historic contributions of Black Americans.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN NATIVITY SERIES
Another new addition to Thomas Blackshear's Ebony Visions™, collection is the much awaited and highly anticipated Wise Man and The Nativity Camel. The fifth and sixth pieces in the Nativity Series that also includes Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, and the Angel Gabriel along with The Nativity Donkey and Sheep with Lamb figurines. Each piece is painstakingly detailed and brought to life in full color. Like all of Blackshear's Ebony Visions™ collection, the Nativity features a blend of African culture and Art Nouveau that Thomas refers to as Afro-Nouveau, as he explains, "Ebony Visions™ is inspired by art deco works that have been practiced for centuries, all I did was put a black face on it."

FOUR-PART MILITARY SERIES
Rounding out these poignant pieces of the Ebony Visions™ collections is the first of its series, United We Stand-Army. Blackshear does a splendid job of capturing the bravery and integrity of a young soldier and what better time than Black History Month to honor our heroic men and women in the armed forces? This four-part military series will eventually include the Navy, Air Force and Marines figurines.

MOTHER TERESA UNITED STATES POSTAL STAMP
Award-winning artist, Thomas Blackshear is widely known for his many works including illustrations for the United States Postal Service. His most recent contribution is a portrait of Mother Teresa, Nobel Peace Prize honoree, she was known worldwide for her humanitarian efforts of ministering to the poor and indigent. On August 26, 2010, Mother Teresa's 100th birthday, the USPS will honor her life's work with the release of a commemorative stamp featuring Blackshear's heart-warming portrait of her.

ABOUT THOMAS BLACKSHEAR
Bringing history to life, Blackshear describes his work with the U.S. Postal Service as a blessing from God. Thomas says he will always remember the day he received a message from Jerry Pinkney, a well-known black illustrator he had always admired, asking if he would be interested in finishing a series of illustrations for the U.S. Postal Service's Black Heritage stamp series. Beginning with number 10 in the series, Thomas illustrated stamps from 1986 until 1989.
These works include Jean Baptiste, James Weldon Johnson, Asa Philip Randolph, and Ida B. Wells. In 1990, the post office released a group of 50th anniversary movie poster stamps also illustrated by Thomas such as The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, Stagecoach, Beau Geste, and Dracula. In 1991 he was commissioned by the United States Postal Service to illustrate a book called "I Have A Dream," (A Collection of Black Americans on U.S. Postage Stamps). Today this is a sought after collectible item in the philatelic world.

"One of the driving forces that make Mr. Blackshear's art so attractive to collectors is its constantly escalating value on the secondary market," exclaims Larraine Covington, Community Director of Blackshear Online. "The Storyteller, one of the most sought-after pieces of all time from the Ebony Visions™ collection, has been sold out since 1996. It originally sold for $410 in 1995, and is currently trading on the secondary market for up to $5000."

Winner of the coveted International Collectible Artist award, Thomas Blackshear's work has won him worldwide recognition as one of the hottest contemporary collectible artists in the world. His Black Heritage works premiered at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. He has also been featured on The 700 Club, Ebony/Jet Showcase, and in The Saturday Evening Post. In addition to his designs for the USPS, Blackshear has created works for Disney, Coca-Cola, National Geographic, and Universal Studios, just to name a few.

ABOUT BLACKSHEAR ONLINE
Established in 2001, we are the internet's pre-eminent gathering place for fans and collectors of internationally acclaimed African-American artist Thomas Blackshear. Our goal is to continue to be the most comprehensive Thomas Blackshear community by providing the essential link collectors need to interact and share ideas and information, and conveniently and confidently purchase Thomas Blackshear products online. Visit our web site at www.BlackshearOnline.com or call us at (209) 599-8599.

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