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Dark Portrait of a 'Painter of Light'
latimes. ^
| March 5, 2006
| Kim Christensen
Posted on 03/06/2006 8:18:41 PM PST by tbird5
Christian-themed artist Thomas Kinkade is accused of ruthless tactics and seamy personal conduct. He disputes the allegations.
Thomas Kinkade is famous for his luminous landscapes and street scenes, those dreamy, deliberately inspirational images he says have brought "God's light" into people's lives, even as they have made him one of America's most collected artists.
A devout Christian who calls himself the "Painter of Light," Kinkade trades heavily on his beliefs and says God has guided his brush and his life for the last 20 years.
"When I got saved, God became my art agent," he said in a 2004 video biography, genteel in tone and rich in the themes of faith and family values that have helped win him legions of fans, albeit few among art critics.
But some former Kinkade employees, gallery operators and others contend that the Painter of Light has a decidedly dark side.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: art; butisitart; kinkade; thomaskinkade
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To: lesser_satan
. . . and, BTW, I agree with you about Jackson Pollock. Best commentary on his work:
41
posted on
03/06/2006 8:58:30 PM PST
by
AnAmericanMother
(Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
To: lesser_satan
A Pollock in person is an impressive thing. If you haven't been there, hold back your judgement.
42
posted on
03/06/2006 8:58:46 PM PST
by
Atlas Sneezed
(Your FRiendly FReeper Patent Attorney)
To: Blue Jays
Hi All-
Very little is reported about his brother, Mr. Reuben Kinkade, the successful 1970's music producer.
~ Blue Jays ~
43
posted on
03/06/2006 8:59:12 PM PST
by
Blue Jays
(Rock Hard, Ride Free)
To: Thumper1960
"The other posters bruised male ego as reason to despise Kinkade is a bit over the top, as well."
/Taxi Driver Mode ON/
You talkin' to ME?
There is some poetic justice that one FAKE Christian (Kinkade) swindled another FAKE Christian (my EX) out of several grand for his cheesy prints....
44
posted on
03/06/2006 9:00:36 PM PST
by
Al Simmons
(Four-time Bush Voter 1994-2004...PROUD TO BE A BUSHBOT!!!!!!!!!!!!)
To: Blue Jays
45
posted on
03/06/2006 9:01:55 PM PST
by
Liberty Valance
(We're gonna party like it's 1836 - Happy Birthday Texas!)
To: Al Simmons
It was the capitalized "EX" part that caught my jaded eye.
46
posted on
03/06/2006 9:02:09 PM PST
by
Thumper1960
(The enemy within: Demoncrats and DSA.ORG Sedition is a Liberal "family value".)
To: BossLady
Any "artist" who sells his 'work' on QVC is a joke.... I am not a fan of this stuff, but "joke" or no, art is worth what someone will pay for it.
If "artists" today had to rely upon patronage and commissioned work (rather than the NEA) we might have more Michelangelos and fewer Pollocks.
47
posted on
03/06/2006 9:04:14 PM PST
by
Triggerhippie
(Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.)
To: martin_fierro
Ah yes, The Painter of Happy Little Trees. This guy made a whole hunk of cash too selling "How To Paint" books.
Hilarious.
What's with the flying wombat?
48
posted on
03/06/2006 9:05:56 PM PST
by
garyhope
(In vino veritas. Ars longa, vita brevis, too brevis.)
To: Triggerhippie
If "artists" today had to rely upon patronage and commissioned work (rather than the NEA) we might have more Michelangelos and fewer Pollocks.And, the Velvet Elvis I almost picked up for a song at a garage sale wouldn't have existed.
(I am holding out for one with a genuine bananna cream pie stain!)
49
posted on
03/06/2006 9:06:48 PM PST
by
Thumper1960
(The enemy within: Demoncrats and DSA.ORG Sedition is a Liberal "family value".)
To: AnAmericanMother
Kinkaid is mostly technique. You would be amazed how quickly he can create his seemingly detailed paintings. Some, like Bob Ross will do it on camera, finishing a "detailed" painting in 1/2 hour. Kinkaid can do the same, although he will not do it on camera. That definitely is a talent. But one might also say it's a triumph of technique over art.
50
posted on
03/06/2006 9:08:07 PM PST
by
luvbach1
(Near the belly of the beast in San Diego)
To: Al Simmons
If you buy a couple of my most exclusive, limited edition prints (only 100,000 prints will be made!!!) for $800 apieceI think the limited edition artwork business is a gimmick, but what do I know? There it is. Sculptors have done it forever; so have painters. I don't see any reason to pick on Kinkade for playing the game.
I'm not a Kinkade fan, btw; if I were going to buy limited edition prints, I'd lean towards Don Troiani's Civil War stuff. Now that's great art.
51
posted on
03/06/2006 9:08:49 PM PST
by
sphinx
To: AnAmericanMother
Norman Rockwell! Now there was an artist!
52
posted on
03/06/2006 9:09:41 PM PST
by
luvbach1
(Near the belly of the beast in San Diego)
To: tbird5
A fool and his money were luckey to get together in the first place.
More power to him if he can get people to pay $800 for prints of paint by number work he completed.
53
posted on
03/06/2006 9:09:45 PM PST
by
Dinsdale
To: AnAmericanMother
I wholeheartedly agree with you on that one.
54
posted on
03/06/2006 9:11:47 PM PST
by
lesser_satan
(You know, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas.)
To: Beelzebubba
>>>A Pollock in person is an impressive thing. If you haven't been there, hold back your judgement.<<<
Bleh. Been there, done that. The only thing that captures my imagination with his work is why, why oh why, does so little talent make so much money....
Kinkaid has more technical talent, unfortunately he uses it to paint creampuffery. Looking at his art makes me feel like I just ate a whole jar of Marshmallow Fluff and got doused in gramma's perfume.
55
posted on
03/06/2006 9:12:32 PM PST
by
Shion
To: Beelzebubba
Perhaps. But couldn't I just dump paint on the floor and save myself a trip to the museum?
56
posted on
03/06/2006 9:13:01 PM PST
by
lesser_satan
(You know, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas.)
To: Beelzebubba
There is more artistic talent under the bubblegum stain on that abstract than (excluding the ability to make money off suckers) in all the Kinkeads ever mass-produced. So how do the Emperor's new clothes look?
Personally, I think Kinkade's stuff looks like a paint-by-numbers pic.
That being said...
No pretentious bullsqueeze can turn that 'bubblegum stain' into anything more than it is, a dropcloth, nothing more.
57
posted on
03/06/2006 9:16:20 PM PST
by
Triggerhippie
(Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.)
To: sphinx
Kinkade's not playing the game honestly.
He doesn't even SIGN the so-called "limited edition" prints - he just puts his hand on the stack, so he can claim he "personally touched" them.
Troiani is a pretty good "Civil War Artist", but he has occasional problems with horse anatomy - especially the legs.
Look at Stonewall's horse's hind legs - badly out of drawing. (I'm an authority in that area, because I have groomed more square inches of horse hide than Troiani has painted.)
That said, he is one of the better modern painters in that line.
But Winslow Homer still stands alone as the greatest Civil War artist of all time.
I would rather have a quality reproduction of a Homer painting than all the Troianis in the world.
58
posted on
03/06/2006 9:20:30 PM PST
by
AnAmericanMother
(Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
To: Beelzebubba
Hey, Pal, I've got some impressive drop clothes you might care to add to your tasteful collection. I can always tell a man of refinement and discerning tastes.
59
posted on
03/06/2006 9:21:47 PM PST
by
WorkingClassFilth
(Di'ver'si'ty (adj.): A compound word derived from the root words: division; perversion; adversity.)
To: luvbach1
Rockwell was an extremely accomplished painter. He wasn't taken seriously because he worked as a "mere illustrator" . . . but in technical knowledge and execution he has few peers -- N.C. Wyeth among them, I think (but not Andrew).
60
posted on
03/06/2006 9:21:59 PM PST
by
AnAmericanMother
(Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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