Posted on 06/17/2010 9:26:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
California law enforcement officials say well-known Christian painter and artist Thomas Kinkade spent a night in jail last week after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
California Highway Patrol officials said Monday that Kinkade was pulled over outside Carmel and arrested by a CHP officer just after 10 p.m. Friday
Kinkade "displayed signs of impairment to the officer," California Highway Patrol spokesman Robert Lehman reported.
The 52-year-old painter and father of four was released Saturday morning after posting bail.
Requests for a statement from the Thomas Kinkade Co. were not immediately responded to, though The Associated Press reported Monday that the company said it was reviewing the allegations.
Touted on his website as the "Painter of Light" and “America's most collected living artist,” Kinkade is described as a "devout Christian" who “uses his gift as a vehicle to communicate and spread inherent life-affirming values.”
In April, Kinkade attended the reopening of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., for which he created a special 32-foot mural titled “The Cross.”
In addition to the mural, Kinkade’s company has also been reportedly working very closely with the Billy Graham Foundation on promotion and marketing for the library.
In the past, Kinkade has worked extensively with World Vision Charities and The Salvation Army, and has been the national spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
He began publishing his work in 1984.
I read recently that one in ten American homes has at least one of his paintings on the wall.
Kincaide's art seems to appeal to people who don't like Art, and think it's pretentious to actually try something beyond surface prettiness.
I have seen Grant Wood prints sell for half the price of an “original” Kinkade.
Why would you laugh at someone else’s misfortune? I hope you never are driving home from a party after having a couple of glasses of wine and get stopped, because that’s all it takes.
You gotta’ be effing kidding!
And the other two “regionalists” Thomas Hart Benton and John Stewart Curry?
I’m laughing because this guy is apparently an arrogant obnoxious bastard who has made tens of millions ripping people off. The wiki entry does not bother to mention all the people who blew their life savings setting up as Kinkade franchisees in assorted malls after being told they’d make an obscene profit selling his stuff.
Plus, anyone who can easily afford their own limo and driver has no excuses.
Its the paint. The painters need to drink to keep the buzz going.
My mother is crazy about the paintings of Dalhart Winberg
(the official artist of Texas- I think)
She took art classes with him long ago- and has many prints of his.
Some of his work reminds me of Kinkade.
What y’all think?
http://www.texascrazy.com/dalhart-windberg.html
Here’s a TH Benton for $4000:
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/426056941/814/thomas-hart-benton-loading-corn.html
another for $4500:
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/426048956/814/thomas-hart-benton-instruction.html
Here’s a VERY famous Curry litho for $10500:
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/425074816/143276/john-steuart-curry-john-brown.html
IIRC, an original Kinkade painting is sold for $8K - $10K.
Everybody can't paint like Johannes Vermeer, and they shouldn't. He should just enjoy his work and be glad others do also. And maybe go to rehab.
Well, being a Texan by birth.... I really like West Texas Royalty
Mr. Winberg has some good work. Leaps and bounds better than Kinkade because there is a plainspoken honesty to his paintings. He paints what he sees, and doesn’t have to turn the “light” up to 11 to make the viewer feel good. I especially like the classical figure representation of Texas.
Oh whatever to the comments in this thread.
I like his work. It has nothing to do with reverse snobbery toward “higher” art forms. I just like it.
I like what I like be it this, music or something else and no I don’t dwell on whether it has deeper meaning. It can be considered a classic or it can be a Kinhaid piece but if it’s visually pleases me that’s all I really care about.
It’s not a crime. I am not being ripped off. I don’t even buy some of his pieces because he’s “Christian”. I just buy them because I like them and want to be surrounded by beautiful things I enjoy.
Far as the DUI arrent the guy was stupid. Hopefully he’ll learn a lesson for the sake of everyone he could endanger by driving under the influence.
Unbelievable. I thought that was a joke until I checked the URL.
I am not a fan of his work, but people buy it because they like it. If people want to spend money for it, that’s their business.
bttt
.
I like him. I have a print of one of his paintings of a Texas mission with longhorns and wildflowers in the foreground, and one of some horses under a giant liveoak in my room that I love.
.
Not crazy about the Disney stuff but, I love most of his paintings.
I do sense some sour grapes on this thread. People simply enjoy Kinkaid because they can idenify with his work, an earlier, gentler calmer time. And light makes folks feel good. It’s almost reverse snobbery to make fun of Kinkaid.
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