My inlaws have one of his prints hanging in their living room. Could be worse - at least it’s not dogs playing poker.
I replaced it with an active link. Dunno why the site doesn’t automatically forward you to the updated story.
I worked for the man for two weeks some years ago.
He was 54? I thought he was much older. I don’t have anything of his; although I like some paintings like that, he hits you over the head with it.
Is it NASCAR Thunder?
Possibly. My father-in-law had some jigsaw puzzles by him. After he died, we may have taken them with us. His stuff was good as a puzzle, but I’d never hang it on our walls.
Artist Bob Eggleton says that Kinkade did some great work, but not the stuff he’s known for. His best stuff was things he did for himself or on other projects, but could not sell. Evidently, he was frustrated that he sold out and had to do inferior work because of the money it made.
I’m sorry to hear of his news… 54 is too young to die for anybody not named Hitler. (There, I’ve just done and gone Godwinized the Kinkade thread.)
Unless there’s an illustration of one of his works in one on my reference books or something, no I don’t have a Kinkade in my house. (Other than what I can bring up on the phone, laptop, desktop, etc).
Do tell!
Thanks, gaffa, for providing the link to the Susan Orleans article. I have looked for it often since having read it in the New Yorker in 2001.
I view him kind of like Kenny G, an undoubtedly skilled and talented person who puts that skill and talent to endeavors of absolutely no interest.
Let me start by saying that I do understand that taste is relative, and I’m even appreciative of his talent with “light”…but, to refer to himself as the “most collected living artist” seems a little, um, extreme. Not because people may not have more of his stuff than any other artist, but because I’m not sure that all would agree that what he does is “art.”
What say you? Is he an artist? Is he an artist because he has pumped out figurines and a lot of people have those? I would posit he may be more of a crafts-type.
Shoot. I didn’t see this thread before I posted mine.
Any stories?
A lot of his former employees over the years have said he was a not good very bad man.
Sorry. Didn’t see the other thread.
He creates original works, no matter how formulaic. He’s an artist.
He has a style all his own; you can tell it’s his work without seeing the signature. I think that qualifies him as an artist.
Artist, but one who painted pure unadulterated crap for money.
I’m not sure if I saw some of the works he was referring to but there were some things I saw that I wouldn’t mind buying. I remember thinking he should stay away from the cottages. Then he became and industry and went farther and farther over the top with schlock. In the beginning there was no hint of religion either.
No interest to YOU. Obviously of interest to many.
I can’t fault a man for doing what brings in the big bucks rather than what earns him the admiration of a few art snobs. In that position, I’m sure I’d do the same thing.
Well, it was a cottage industry.
<ducks>
In honour of his passing, I gathered up my most precious and treasured love: my family. We went for a solemn picnic in a quiet glen with a brook softly passing in the background. Once there, I set a starch-crisped, white linen on the ground as a centrepiece. It beautifully caught and reflected brilliant sunlight intermingled with playful just-budding branch shadows. When the light was at its most magical, we bowed our heads in peaceful and serene contemplation.
Then I force-fed everyone Skittles until they vomited all over the sheet.