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]

I don't have to know much about the proper interview process to know that Jerry Springer is a reprobate and I don't have to know diddly about art to know that Kinkade is a pure conman who has fooled many people. If he has fooled you as well, I can sympathize as I have been fooled myself by people I should never have trusted.

Live and learn. You have learned a - relatively - inexpensive lesson.

[woofie]

Peter the cat

[stands2reason]

For more bad art fun, check out the Museum of Bad Art.

If the site doesn't make you don't laugh your butt off, I'll give you a dollar.

[lonestar]

ditto

[ReignOfError]

I love Hopper. His paintings -- whether they have no people, one person or a group -- are just achingly lonely. I can't think of another artist who can convey any emotion that strongly in two dimensions.

More at More here

[billbears]

Kinkade was bad but that guy was just strange. I remember him from PBS. Paint a picture in 30 minutes while talking to your brushes. Whatever he was on, it must have been some good stuff.

[Elyse]

Have any of you stopped to look at the source for this story? The British liberal rag the Guardian is well known for trashing conservatives with twisted truth and sometimes outright lies.

I don't see where Kincaide has ever been arrested for drunken or rude behaviour. If you notice, the testimony about his supposed shocking behavior came from 'former' employees. Without even seeing the whole court testimony I'm not judging Kincaide on the basis of a Guardian trash article. The testimony of the 'former' employees might have been discounted in court for all you know.

[Frwy]

It must have been after about the third bottle of Chevas when probability didn't seem to matter.

[Howlin]

Sounds like you guys are cruising for a bruising!

[Cecily]

[stands2reason]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

You're darn tootin'!

[stands2reason]

I dunno...he was kinda skimpy with the color blue there, doncha think?

[generally]

sleddogs,

You aren't tacky, you just know what you like and aren't afraid to say so. Who's to say what you should hang on your wall? Do you think you need the approval of the NYT art critics? (NO! Just the approval of your wife.) If I wanted a Kinkade or a Velvet Elvis or whatever on my wall, I'd get one and hang it and enjoy it.

Actually, I'm not too fond of Velvet paintings at this point in my life, but I when I was little I used to like to see them wherever it was they were being sold. Tourist traps?

I do kind of like the Kinkades, though. I don't know if I like them enough to hang one in my house, but I wouldn't rule it out. I think I just like other things better.

My "tacky" confession: Sometimes I put ketchup on my steak!

[woofie]

Check out #119

[Howlin]

but I have the same comment (it looks like my perfect hometown in my mind's eye) about another artist...Charles Wysocki.

I really love those; I work all his puzzles.

[Howlin]

Where is the driveway and car park area? Do the people who live in these houses come and go by canoe, or what? How are the houses connnected to the main road?

Oh, you and my husband would get along JUST great.

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

Very little is heard about Thomas Kinkade's older brother, the famous producer Ruben Kinkade who revolutionized the 1970's music scene:

Ruben Kinkade

~ Blue Jays ~

[ReignOfError]

I used to dismiss Rockwell as sentimental and not "edgy" enough, until I saw this:

And his "Four Freedoms" series:

He was clearly a gifted artist, who most of the time turned his talents toward sentimental subjects. Whether that was his personal preference or a commercial decision, I cannot say. But even when his work is a bit to sweet for my taste, it's a genuine sweetness, not saccharine like Kincade.

[Cecily]

I think TK painted the bus for one of his brother's clients during his "Painter of Legos" period.

[arasina]

You have some interesting art. I like the other one you posted as well.

At first glance, I thought this one reminded me of President JFK, then I see it is dated 1963. Faskinatin.