The Thomas Kinkade Story: A 20-Year Chronology of the Artist

Have you ever heard anyone scoff at Kinkade's work, because it is "too commercial" ? There are many who disdain work that is embraced by "the common man", and work that is reproduced for a mass market. So be it, but I do not agree with this elitist viewpoint, and think that in many years to come, Kinkade's work will be far more valued than some of what is "fashionable" in art circles today.This is a magnificent coffee table book, with thick glossy pages and excellent color reproduction, and a well written text by Rick Barnett. I pored over this volume with a magnifying glass, examining the details, the brushwork, and the evolution of Kinkade's work over the years.Part I, "The Early Years": Born in 1958, Kinkade was drawing before he could walk, and his first mentor was the Bay Area artist of renown Glenn Wessels, who in 1974 moved to Thom's Placerville, California neighborhood. Later while studying at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, he painted "The Prince of Peace", which he saw in a vision, and it is a powerful piece. Part II, "20 Years of Published Work":"The Early Works, 1984-1989". Many of these pieces are massive scenic vistas and city street sceenes, and my one and only complaint of this book is that it does not give the dimensions of the original paintings. "The Artist is Recognized, 1989-1993". On page 55, is a piece I find startling, "New York, Snow on Seventh Avenue, 1932", painted in 1989; with its extraordinary perspective, and skyscrapers bathed in the light of the setting sun, it captures the feeling of another era and there is a palpable sense of movement in it...and it is a painting I could look at for years and never tire of.In 1990, during a family trip to England, the cottage paintings were born. The one that I find incredibly lovely is "Spring at Stonegate". The graceful slope of the roof, and the dappled sunlight are beautiful."Chasing the Horizon, 1993-1997". The Kinkade family moved to the South Bay area of San Francisco, and the plein air paintings took flight. My favorite of this genre is "Wailea Pool, Maui" (1996), with broad free strokes, the wind is ruffling the palm trees, and the clouds seem to be dancing.There also seems to be a heightened idealism emerging during these years, which becomes even more evident in "The Golden Era, 1997-2000", where the landscapes take on a misty, eerie light. In the world of "Cobblestone Bridge" (2000), Kinkade says "man and nature live in God's perfect balance"."Light of Freedom, 2000-2004". Inspired by a dream, Kinkade painted "The Light of Freedom" in 2002 as a tribute to 9/11, and from 2001, "San Francisco, Lombard Street", with an entire vista of the city, is a marvel; another treasure is "Desert Sunset" (2002), with its red sky and magical twinkling lights in the distance.Motivated by his faith, and dreams and visions, Kinkade's gentle world of peace and light is sure to shine for many generations.