Posted on 04/07/2012 7:39:53 AM PDT by KansasGirl
(CBS/AP) One of the most successful artists of all time, prolific painter Thomas Kinkade - the self-described "Painter of Light" - died Friday at the age of 54.
A spokesperson for the Kinkade family said the artist died at home in Los Gatos, Calif., apparently of natural causes.
Kinkade's paintings were anything but controversial, depicting scenes of a light-filled America with a heavy emphasis on home, hearth and church. His sentimental scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes in dewy morning light were beloved by many but criticized by the art establishment.
The painter once said that he had something in common with Walt Disney and Norman Rockwell: He wanted to make people happy.
Those light-infused renderings are often prominently displayed in buildings, malls, and on products — generally depicting tranquil scenes with lush landscaping and streams running nearby. Many contain images from Bible passages.
"I'm a warrior for light," Kinkade, a self-described devout Christian, told the San Jose Mercury News in 2002, a reference to the medieval practice of using light to symbolize the divine. "With whatever talent and resources I have, I'm trying to bring light to penetrate the darkness many people feel."
And he had a large following: Kinkade's paintings and spin-off products were said to fetch some $100 million a year in sales, and to be in 10 million homes in the United States.
I also thought his art was kitschy, but for me it was because most of it didn't make any sense. Who paints a house in daylight with all the lights on and a fire burning? To me it was just silly. But to each their own. I certainly didn't wish any harm on the guy. My condolences to his fans.
I liked some of his winter scenes since the colors were more muted.
The art critics ripped on Bob Ross, too. I loved his “happy little trees.”
Thank you very much! You made my day!
Yes. I've got one of those frames, just can't remember the name of it right now. Will try to find it and get back to you later tonight or tomorrow.
To just back-light one part of a picture like a starry sky you will have to put an opaque mask behind the parts you don't want back-lit. Not hard to do.
Looks like a cool link! Thanks!
If those aren't beautiful to you, there's something wrong with you.
And that inevitably, if one follows it doggedly and truthfully, leads to Hope.
I know somebody who has a Picasso sketch hanging on the inside of a closet door. Yes, really. It’s a hoot.
My dad died of cancer, at home, at 52.
I agree with you.
As a Graphic Artist who attended Art School in the 70’s, I was trained to DESPISE this type of Art as “mawkishly Sentimental Kisch”. Yet, after seeing what has been foisted upon the public as “Art” for the last 100 years (Abstract Expressionism, Dada, Minimalist, Nihilist, Depressing, Mean Spirited CRAP), I feel drawn to that which lifts the Human Spirit. The Art and Music of the Renaissance, The Enlightenment, and Even the Impressionist Eras Celebrate Both Beauty and Truth, and I believe that Mr. Kincaid, in his own way, sought after that goal as well.
Innocence is a “Good” thing! :-)
-—As a Graphic Artist who attended Art School in the 70’s, I was trained to DESPISE this type of Art as “mawkishly Sentimental Kisch”. Yet, after seeing what has been foisted upon the public as “Art” for the last 100 years (Abstract Expressionism, Dada, Minimalist, Nihilist, Depressing, Mean Spirited CRAP), I feel drawn to that which lifts the Human Spirit. The Art and Music of the Renaissance, The Enlightenment, and Even the Impressionist Eras Celebrate Both Beauty and Truth, and I believe that Mr. Kincaid, in his own way, sought after that goal as well.-—
Bravo! I’m an illustrator, and I agree completely.
But also...
In 2002, he partnered with The Salvation Army to create two charity prints, The Season of Giving and The Light of Freedom. Proceeds from the sale of the prints were donated to The Salvation Army for their relief efforts at Ground Zero and to aid the victims of the September 11 attacks and their families in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. More than $2 million was donated as a result of this affiliation. In 2003, Kinkade was chosen as a National Spokesman for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and during the 20 Years of Light Tour in 2004, he raised over $750,000 and granted 12 wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.
In 2005, the Points of Light Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging more people more effectively in volunteer service to help solve serious social problems, named Kinkade as Ambassador of Light. He was the second person in the Foundation’s 15-year history to be chosen as Ambassador, the first being the organization’s founder, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush.[26] During his Ambassador of Light Tour, Kinkade visited cities nationwide to raise awareness and money for the Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network, which serves more than 360 Points of Light member Volunteer Centers in communities across the country.
I hope that when I go, I am not judged solely on my demons but also my good works as well.
Kinkade never knew when to stop. Always room for another glop of paint.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.