Thomas Kinkade, self-dubbed the “Painter of Light,” stands as perhaps the most polarizing figure in contemporary art today. What fascinates me is the sheer venom he inspires among fellow critics and academics, a disdain that rivals the glow of his signature windows. His work saturates the everyday, from Christmas cards to dinnerware, with traditional motifs like cottages, gazebos, lighthouses, patriotic vistas, and churches that feel plucked from a bygone era. The art world recoils, ostensibly at his unabashed mass-marketing machine, a commercial empire that some argue taints his artistic soul. Critics have even branded him a hypocrite, claiming his idyllic canvases clash with the reality of his business-driven life. They love to harp on his assembly-line approach to fine art, insisting it cheapens both his identity and his creations, reducing him to a mere “commercial hack” in their eyes. But let’s be honest, this critique about commercialism is a load of nonsense. The real thorn in their side is Kinkade’s warm Christian motifs and themes, which slice right through the cold, brutal, soul-sucking sludge of modern contemporary art. Critics despise that his work dares to stand in stark contrast to the pretentious crapola they peddle as genuine artistry.
Take the painting of “The heart of San Francisco” for example which resembles a romantic urban life in the 60’s. The scene in this painting, as in many other Kinkade’s paintings, sort of captivates you with the Utopian idea of life back in the days which is left desired. His unique style of glowing lights especially from the windows is what makes him the “painter of light”.
