Into the Light

This past week brought to the world the sad news of the passing of a truly great world artist, Thomas Kinkade. Thomas was an American painter known throughout the world as the “Painter of Light”.  Below is a quote by the artist himself. 

His death came suddenly at the age of 54. A pre-autopsy report states his death to be related to alcohol poisoning.  It seems to be an all too familiar trend with people who are very talented to never be satisfied with life but always be pushing the envelope of more. I’ve been told that Thomas Kinkade lived life in the fast lane never slowing except for the occasional deer crossing the highway or to sit down to paint.  He is however the exception to the rule that most artists usually don’t become famous until after they die. Thomas enjoyed a very lucrative painting business based on sales of various reproductions of his work. Although there seems to be some shades of black in the financial area surrounding his company.

It’s probably safe to say that 75% of all who are reading this article have at least one of his paintings hanging on a wall in your own home. In addition to hanging on your wall it most likely occupies a place in a prominent location. The painting is a special piece of artwork that initially caught your eye and has continued to touch you in a certain way. It’s a feeling of coming home after a long journey where you can kick off your shoes and let your hair down.  In fact the painting would not let you leave the store without it.

  For me personally Thomas’ paintings remind me of a glimpse of heaven. Where time stands still and Christmas is 365 days a year. They portray a very familiar feeling of a fire burning behind a screened hearth, warming the parlor where friends are busy playing a quick game of Scrabble or Old Maid. They are pictures of warm cottages wrapped in spring flowers or a frosty blanket of snow. And it’s of course a landscape, a home and a memory saturated in beautiful Christmas cheer, adorned with all the colors of the rainbow. Streaks of sunlight and shadows that dance and weave a tapestry of realism are an integral part of his art.  His scenes of main streets from around the country are among my favorites. In a way he has the skills of a resurrected Norman Rockwell combined with the personality of a Samuel Clemens.

Thomas admits that it’s was his mission in life to share the light with his following of fans from around the world. I really don’t like dredging up the dirt on people‘s failures but prefer to show off the light of their successes and generosity.  For Thomas Kinkade that won’t be a problem as he generously donated to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, World Vision, the Salvation Army, Points of Light Foundation and the Church of the Nazarene and many more organizations beyond mention. And we will never know the full extent to all of his anonymous giving.

On a personal note my brother in law was able to meet Thomas Kinkade and his wife in Los Gatos as he was there to paint the main street of Los Gatos, California’s, Santa Cruz Avenue. He was actually donating the painting to aid a local fundraiser for a local Los Gatos charity. Thomas Kinkade grew up in Placerville, CA. which is relatively close to the greater Sacramento, California area.  I’m sure growing up in the foothills close to Lake Tahoe helped inspire him to paint all those wonderful snow covered Christmas scenes he so much loved to portray.  

And now with Thomas Kinkade passing on into the light there remains only a finite number of paintings in his collection. Most of those reproductions will continue to grace the walls of homes around the world. Soon another generation of children will be born who will marvel at the way the light seems to jump off the canvas. It’s been said that Thomas lived life to the fullest in much the same way he filled up the canvas with oil and pastel colors. The dark and light contrast that shaded his paintings also spilled over to darken his own life. But for me it will always be the light of his life that draws me into this incredible artist’s world of light! So long Thomas may God welcome you into the eternal, glorious light of His presence!