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.

[Lx]

Aggghhhhhhhhhhh, it's the volcano from Dianetics!

[Denver Ditdat]

Kinkade's 'Clearing Storms' was purchased by Bill Gates for about $100,000.

Did someone page the master of style and taste?

[Revolting cat!]

We need to teach our children art, literature and music appreciation, more than creationism, or "ethnic studies", whatever that is, or we'll continue to have starving artists, and philistine millionaires with definite opinions of Andy Warhol, and what's art, what's junk, paying thousands of dollars for bad flea market kitsch!

[AnAmericanMother]

We need to teach our children art, literature and music appreciation . . .

Unfortunately, the folks who become millionaires are usually so single-minded about whatever they are doing that after making their pile they suddenly wake up and realize that they didn't pay any attention to art, literature, or music while they were coming along.

At that point, if they're canny, they hire a gentlewoman or gentleman in distressed circumstances to bring them up to speed. If they're not, they pay thousands of dollars for bad flea market kitsch and learn art appreciation the hard way . . . when their art depreciates . . .

I have a son who's that way. He's so single-minded about what he likes (tinkering with machines and electronics) that any information about art and music goes in one ear and out the other. We keep on providing the information in the hopes that some of it will stick, subconsciously or something.

[aculeus]

dighton was linking to post 119 on this thread.

[Revolting cat!]

I hear you. Things are different in more traditional Western societies. This is perhaps due to their well established class structure. Compare, off the top of my head, Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson (collectors of flea market kitsch), to somebody like Pete Townsend or Mick Jagger, or Sophia Loren, who all, in one word, aspired, when it came to cultural values. Elvis only aspired to unlimited quantities of MacBurgers and doughnuts. I see this as a tragedy of American success.

[nycgal]

"Sunday on the pot with George"

[hellinahandcart]

I know, I know. I was having computer problems yesterday. I couldn't see anybody's photos at all.

I finally got to see post 119 for myself, just now. LOL

[AnAmericanMother]

I think it may have more to do with the chaotic upbringing that both Elvis and Michael Jackson had, rather than class per se. If they had been brought up properly (not necessarily upper middle class prep school family - there are plenty of working class people with good taste, just not much money) they would have had better artistic values.

[hellinahandcart]

I bought a limited edition offset lithograph of the original about 13 years ago for $1,300.

Offset lithography = photographic reproduction. In other words, you bought a signed poster.

A millionaire might not care, but to most people, Thomas Kinkade's signature is not worth $1200.

[hellinahandcart]

Although I want to be fair. Assuming a size of around 18" x 24", an expensively framed poster *could* cost two or three hundred bucks. *If* you sprung for the archival matting, UV glass, and real gold leaf.

So I should have said that to most people, his signature is not worth $1000.

[Lx]

I love this, it just says, "Home"

[hellinahandcart]

What's up with the evil grinning red-horned demon on the lower right?

Oh, it's a Christmas wreath on the light pole. Never mind.

[hellinahandcart]

OMG, it really IS an evil grinning red-horned demon!!

[SlowBoat407]

discovered by you, appropriately enough

[b-cubed]

Maybe this is like a suburb of Venice?

[Cecily]

Kinkade left out the gondolas, then.

[atlaw]

Also, you can never tell where the heck the light is coming from. Random sides of trees, houses, chimneys, creeks, and hillsides are lit from north, south, east and west. It's creepy. Like you're witnessing the glow of a nuclear blast in the stratosphere.

[stands2reason]

Good to see your pic links are working for you again, hellina. :-)

[stands2reason]

I told him I'd put it in my kitchen as well.

I don't think he'd appreciate the print I used to have in my kitchen...(they were the only ants in my kitchen!)