Background

Kinkade was born in Sacramento, California, United States, on January 19, 1958. He was raised in Placerville. From the age of four, his talent as an artist was evident. His parents divorced, when Kinkade was just five years old. A single-parent family was a rarity at the time, so it was a time of embarrassment, shame and poverty.

Education

By the time Thomas Kinkade turned 16, he was a painter in oil under the apprenticeship of the well-known artist Glen Wessels. He graduated from El Dorado High School in 1976 and continued his studies at the University of California at Berkeley, and Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Career

In 1980 Kinkade together with his friend and fellow artist, James Gurney, traveled by boxcar from California to New York. During their trip, they created numerous sketches of the American landscape. With all these sketches in hand, Thomas Kinkade and James Gurney went to Norman Rockwell's publisher, Waton Guptill, offered to publish a book, using all their artworks. Eventually, "The Artist Guide to Sketching" appeared in 1982.

The popularity of the book gave the two an opportunity to get jobs at Ralph Bakshi Studios. In 1983 Thomas Kinkade and James Gurney created background art for the animated feature film Fire and Ice. During his work on the film, Kinkade began to explore peculiarities of the depiction of light. It was during this period that he acquired his nickname of The Painter of Light. When he completed his work on the film, Thomas Kinkade began his career as a painter. He was selling his originals in galleries throughout California.

Typical subjects of the painter's paintings included cottages, bridges, gardens, and American scenes infused with the warm glow of sunlight. In his paintings, Thomas Kinkade emphasized simple pleasures and inspirational messages. He reminded that the heart is warmed by love of the home, the traditions of the family, and connection to the land. From 1984 to 1990 he produced Impressionist-style paintings under the brush name Robert Girrard.

Kinkade started to distribute his artwork in 1984 with the help of investors. In 1989 Thomas Kinkade and Ken Raasch launched Lightpost Publishing, it was dedicated exclusively to Kinkade’s work. Their company finally developed into the holding company Media Arts Group, Inc. (later the Thomas Kinkade Company). Thomas Kinkade’s paintings made him extremely popular with the general public. In spite of his commercial success, Kinkade was often made fun of by critics who considered his work vulgar. Besides, they denounced the mass marketing of his work, which appeared on a wide variety of products, including calendars, notecards, etc.

Thomas Kinkade worked with a great number of companies. He was invited to capture the historic Biltmore House on canvas. Additionally, he introduced the commemorative portrait of the 50th running of the Daytona 500 in 2008. In later years, Thomas Kinkade sometimes partnered with other corporates. For instance, Kinkade, along with the Disney Company, created the Disney Dreams Collection. It was a series of paintings, including Beauty and the Beast Falling in Love (2010) and Sleeping Beauty (2011), that depicted an entire Disney animated film in one image.

In addition, Kinkade was chosen to be the featured artist for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Centennial Era, a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500 race. He created the following paintings: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 100th Anniversary (2009) and A Century of Racing! The 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Mile Race (2011).

It is believed he had a hand in most of the original, conceptual work he produced. However, Kinkade also hired some studio assistants to help create multiple prints of his renowned oil paintings. His works were extensively sold by mail order and in dedicated retail outlets. As a result, he was also criticized for the fact that he had commercialized his art.

Thomas Kinkade published over 120 books, including such as Lightposts for Living: The Art of Choosing a Joyful Life (1999). This book featured his artworks. In cooperation with Katherine Spencer, he also wrote the Cape Light and Angel Island series of inspirational novels, in 2002 and 2010, respectively.

Achievements

• 

  Being a famous artist, Thomas Kinkade is notable for the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products via the Thomas Kinkade Company.
  
  Kinkade obtained many awards for his artworks, including multiple National Association of Limited Edition Dealers (NALED) awards for Artist of the Year and Graphic Artist of the Year, and his art was named Lithograph of the Year nine times. In 2002 he joined the California Tourism Hall of Fame as an individual who had a great impact on the public's perception of tourism in California through his images of California sights.
  
  The same year along with his fellow artists Simon Bull and Howard Behrens Kinkade was invited to commemorate the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the 2002 World Series and was also honored with the 2002 World Children's Center Humanitarian Award for his contributions to improving the welfare of children and their families through his work with Colorful Kids and Art for Children.
  
  Thomas Kinkade was elected a national spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2003. The following year the artist was selected by the Christmas Pageant of Peace for the second time to paint the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. This painting, called Symbols of Freedom, became an official image for the 2004 Pageant of Peace.
  
  Besides, he got an award from NALED in 2004. It recognized him as the Most Award Winning Artist in the Past 25 Years. In 2005 Kinkade was named the NALED Graphic Artist of the Year. He was also recognized for his philanthropic efforts by NALED with the Eugene Freedman Humanitarian Award.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Posh Adult Coloring Book: Thomas Kinkade Designs for Inspiration & Relaxation (Posh Coloring Books)
  • Thomas Kinkade's Cape Light: Christmas Blessings (A Cape Light Novel)
  • The Artist's Guide to Sketching
  • Cape Light (Cape Light Novels Book 1)
  • A Christmas Promise: A Cape Light Novel (Cape Light Novels Book 5)
  • The Gathering Place: A Cape Light Novel (Cape Light Novels Book 3)
  • A New Leaf: A Cape Light Novel (Cape Light Novels Book 4)
  • The Thomas Kinkade Story: A 20 Year Chronology of the Artist 2003

• painting

  • Pinocchio Wishes Upon a Star

  • Afternoon Light, Dogwood

  • Beauty and the Beast Fall In Love

  • Main Street Celebration

  • Selfless Service Firefighter

  • The Little Mermaid

  • Christmas

  • Beside Still Waters

  • Viva Las Vegas

  • Graceland Christmas

  • The Light of Peace

  • Indy Excitement

  • Sweetheart Gazebo

  • A View from Cannery Row, Monterey

  • San Francisco, Market Street

  • It Doesn't Get Much Better

  • A Peaceful Retreat

  • Lingering Dusk

  • Disney Dreams

  • Savannah Romance

  • Moonlit Village

  • Beacon of Hope

  • Portofino

  • Gone With the Wind

  • Cobblestone Bridge

  • Cinderella Wishes Upon A Dream

  • Rosebud Cottage

  • Disney Dreams

  • Christmas Evening

  • Town Square

• Other Work

  • Home Song: A Cape Light Novel (Cape Light Novels Book 2)

Religion

Kinkade had a deep faith in God. He was a member of the Church of the Nazarene.

Views

Being an inspired idealist, Thomas Kinkade believed art has the power to touch people's hearts and change their lives.

Quotations: "Paintings are the tools that can inspire the heart to greater faith. My paintings are messengers of God’s love. Nature is simply the language which I speak."

"Painting is a halfway between a memory and a daydream. I try to produce a re-creation of the past without the hard edges."

"I am really the most controversial artist in the world."

"I view art as an inspirational tool."

"Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them."

"Everyone can identify with a fragrant garden, with beauty of sunset, with the quiet of nature, with a warm and cozy cottage."

"I remember my mom had a big collection of copies of Saturday Evening Post magazines, and that was really my introduction to those great illustrators."

"What I paint touches on foundational life values. Home, family, peacefulness. And one of the messages I try to constantly get across is, 'Slow it down and enjoy every moment.'"

"You have to expect spiritual warfare whenever you stand up for righteousness or call attention to basic values. It's just a matter of light battling the darkness. But the light wins every time. You can't throw enough darkness on light to put it out."

Membership

Kinkade was a member of several non-profit organizations, which focused mostly on children, humanitarian relief, and the arts. Among them were, for instance, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, World Vision, Art for Children Charities, the Salvation Army etc. In 2002 the artist became a partner of the Salvation Army to create two charity prints, The Season of Giving and The Light of Freedom. All the money raised from this campaign, more than $2 million, were donated to The Salvation Army. In 2005, the Points of Light Foundation, a nonprofit organization aiming to solve serious social problems, named Kinkade as Ambassador of Light. During his service, Thomas Kinkade visited various cities and towns to raise awareness and money for the Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network.

Personality

Thomas Kinkade was a communicative, outgoing man with a tremendous sense of humor. Thomas Kinkade was also extremely generous, he often used his artistic talents to create special commemorative prints which raise money for charitable causes.

Physical Characteristics: Kincade was left-handed. His height was about six feet.

Interests

• Artists

  Andy Warhol

Connections

Thomas Kinkade got married to Nanette Willey in 1982. Their marriage produced four daughters: Merritt (born in 1988), Chandler (born in 1991), Winsor (born in 1995) and Everett (born in 1997), all named for famous artists, who later together with their mother have established the Kinkade Family Foundation. He and his wife had separated for almost two years before his death in 2012.

Wife:

Nanette Willey

Daughter:

Merritt Kinkade

Daughter:

Chandler Kinkade

Daughter:

Winsor Kinkade

Daughter:

Everett Kinkade

References

• Disney Dreams Collection Thomas Kinkade Studios Coloring Book
• Billion Dollar Painter: The Triumph and Tragedy of Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light
• Thomas Kinkade: Heaven on Earth
  2004
• Thomas Kinkade by Park West Gallery