"With Tom, the more you study it, the shallower it gets. ... Tom’s pictures pour on the syrup, then add an extra dollop for good measure."
Oh my gosh, THIS is the nail on the head of why I was never a Kinkade fan! Aside from whatever his religious leanings may or may not be, I couldn't grasp why so many people loved his work. It was beautiful and captured light in a nice way, but his work — at least what I have been exposed to — never said anything. It was just pretty. Decorations. Not the thing that makes me want to stare harder, look deeper, and SEE.
When my wife Pam worked at local gallery and frame shop in Colorado they were considered a Thomas Kinkade exclusive dealer. People would come from all over the place to purchase the newest painting by him. The portion of their shop that was dedicated to his paintings had to be specifically set up with the way the walls were painted and the lights have to be just right, complete with a dimmer switch. We never understood the attraction to his work but Pam had to put on a cheery face when talking about them. One time they had an event were a sanctioned "touch up artist" would come in and for an additional charge, would paint on various parts of the print, making it - apparently - more valuable. She saw many people drop exorbitant amounts of money on these paintings. We do have a couple of his prints but only the Disney-themed ones as she is a Disney fanatic. I'm a Marvel fanatic but would never want to have something like that from him
That is such a good line " ...the shallower it gets." that really sums up the vapid pastiche that was Kinkade's work. Kinkade was a jerk and he'll be remembered for not being a Painter of Light but a Painter of Kitsch. And what a great shout out to Jim Gurney.
"With Tom, the more you study it, the shallower it gets. ... Tom’s pictures pour on the syrup, then add an extra dollop for good measure."
Oh my gosh, THIS is the nail on the head of why I was never a Kinkade fan! Aside from whatever his religious leanings may or may not be, I couldn't grasp why so many people loved his work. It was beautiful and captured light in a nice way, but his work — at least what I have been exposed to — never said anything. It was just pretty. Decorations. Not the thing that makes me want to stare harder, look deeper, and SEE.
Jim Gurney illustrated the first cover of a books series I did for Ace, back in the mid-80's. Always liked his work.
Steve
When my wife Pam worked at local gallery and frame shop in Colorado they were considered a Thomas Kinkade exclusive dealer. People would come from all over the place to purchase the newest painting by him. The portion of their shop that was dedicated to his paintings had to be specifically set up with the way the walls were painted and the lights have to be just right, complete with a dimmer switch. We never understood the attraction to his work but Pam had to put on a cheery face when talking about them. One time they had an event were a sanctioned "touch up artist" would come in and for an additional charge, would paint on various parts of the print, making it - apparently - more valuable. She saw many people drop exorbitant amounts of money on these paintings. We do have a couple of his prints but only the Disney-themed ones as she is a Disney fanatic. I'm a Marvel fanatic but would never want to have something like that from him
From the movie about Thomas Kinkade:
Peter O'Toole plays young Kinkade's mentor, who tells him, "Paint the light, Thomas! Paint the light!."
How in the hell did they get Peter O’Toole to appear in that?
That is such a good line " ...the shallower it gets." that really sums up the vapid pastiche that was Kinkade's work. Kinkade was a jerk and he'll be remembered for not being a Painter of Light but a Painter of Kitsch. And what a great shout out to Jim Gurney.