Dark clouds gather over 'Painter of Light' [Kinkade accused of drunken antics]

The Guardian (UK) ^ | March 25, 2006 | by Oliver Burkeman in New York

[aculeus]

Entrepreneur artist who hangs in one in 20 US homes accused of fraud and drunken antics

"There's over 40 walls in the average American home," a business manager for the artist Thomas Kinkade once said, "and Thom says our job is to figure out how to populate every single wall in every single home and every single business throughout the world with his paintings."

Kinkade's luridly idyllic landscapes, full of quaint cottages and glowing firelight, already hang in an estimated one in 20 US homes. "In the often hurried, unsympathetic and complex world we live in, the images Thomas Kinkade paints offer a place of refuge," his company's literature purrs. "A place where the transient things of life give way to the things that matter most ... faith and family, a loving home and the people who know and love us."

Art critics have long dismissed his work as a kitsch crime against aesthetics. But now the world has grown even more "unsympathetic and complex" for the artist, who describes himself as a devout Christian and has trademarked his "Painter of Light" soubriquet. In court documents and other testimony, he has been accused of sexual harassment, fraudulent business practices and bizarre incidents of drunkenness including a habit of "ritual territory marking" that involves urinating in public places.

'Misleading picture'

A court-appointed arbitration panel has ruled in favour of two former owners of Kinkade-branded galleries, ordering his company to pay them $860,000 (£500,000) for breaching "the covenant of good faith and dealing" and failing to disclose pertinent business information.

[keithtoo]

If I sold as much schlock as this guy and made as much money as he has selling this crappola and calling it 'art' I would have to be drunk 24/7. I don't blame him.

[Captain Peter Blood]

Anyone who invests in Kincaide Art thinking it will go up is a Fool who is soon parted with their money.

[afnamvet]

Old news. Fine paid. Life goes on.

[acapesket]

Sorry, but anyone who buys this stuff should hang it next to their "Velvet Elvis" Circa Tijuana B.C,
1978

[Cicero]

His paintings hang in one of twenty US homes, and this is the first time I ever heard of this guy. But the painting does look sort of familiar from somewhere or other:

[bkepley]

No self-respecting conservative would have one. Pure New Age.

[GraceCoolidge]

Anyone who invests in Kincaide Art thinking it will go up is a Fool who is soon parted with their money.

Probably a lot of those would-be investors already lost their money on Beanie Babies.

[bigfootbob]

You mean my glow in the dark Elvis tapestry I've been coveting all these years is worthless? Damn you!

[itsamelman]

[SlowBoat407]

The world's most expensive greeting cards.

[keithtoo]

Does anyone ever think like me and think "If I really did have a house that close to a creek and if it ever rained more than 1 inch my house would flood"?

I guess my art appreciation is not as developed as my common sense.

[RetiredSWO]

What do you have hanging in your living room?
Is it a Campbell's Soup can?

[Revolting cat!]

Master of Kitsch, indeed!

[RetiredSWO]

What do you have hanging in your living room?
Is it a Campbell's Soup can?

[OldCorps]

bump to show to my wife, lol

[randog]

Anyone who invests in Kincaide Art thinking it will go up is a Fool who is soon parted with their money.

I told my wife this several years ago when the office gals she worked with started snatching this crap up. I got her a Thomas Kincaid screen saver instead and she uses it to this day. I cringe every time I see it.

[Billthedrill]

Thankyaverymuch...

[stands2reason]

Maybe you've seen it on a greeting card,

or a calendar,

or a coffee mug,

or a print,

or a t-shirt.

All limited edition*!