Renowned artist Thomas Blackshear II is no stranger to commercial work. Before diving into the Western art world, he was an illustrator with companies such as Hallmark, Lucas Films, and Anheuser-Busch on his resumé. In the fall of 2019, he got a phone call from the manager of The Killers, a popular alternative rock band that wanted to use his work for its newest album. It was a project unlike any Blackshear had ever experienced.
The Killers is an American band that originated in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the early 2000s. Almost 20 years and six albums later, it has performed in more than 50 countries and has sold more than 28 million albums. The Killers takes a contemporary inspiration from the New Wave movement of the ‘80s and consists of Brandon Flowers (vocals and keyboard) and Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. (percussion). The band’s latest album, “Imploding the Mirage,” was released on August 21 and features Blackshear’s painting, Dance of the Wind and Storm, on its cover.
Read the full article in the November/December 2020 issue.
Dance of the Wind and Storm, oil
