My mission as an artist is to create glimpses of a world that is tranquil, peaceful, and full of the beauty of God’s creation. That’s what I mean when I talk about sharing the Light.
-Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light
Widely hailed as the ‘Painter of Light’, Thomas Kinkade’s title was awarded to him fittingly as he was a master in manipulating light within his art pieces. To put it simply, whenever a different level of light is cast upon his works, it would create a different effect upon the art piece, changing the atmosphere and the art would evolve and transform along with the light. This technique is known as luminism, where dark colours are painted around the light colours to evoke the glowing effect, causing the painting to be extremely light sensitive.
One of the best ways to appreciate Kinkade’ work is to place it beneath adjustable lightings. As you brighten and darken the lights, you can easily distinguish and perceive the change within the artwork as the point of focus would slowly alter about the picture. For instance, one minute you’ll be busy concentrating on the lovely, bucolic colours of the soothing sunset but then as the light dim, your eyes will be drawn to the lights in the cottage or the outdoor fireplace.
Kinkade’s art work consists of surreal effects and glowing atmosphere that softens and comforts the hearts of those who look upon it. Whether it’s a heartwarming scene of an afternoon in a busy city, an English old cottage or a scenic beach, each of his paintings portrays some charming place that makes people wish they were there.
Kinkade was also famous for creatively hiding ‘love notes’ in all his paintings as a tribute to his childhood sweetheart, Nanette, who became his wife and soul mate. He also often dedicated his art pieces to his daughters and the girls will often find their images and names amongst his works. In fact, all his artworks hold a personal value for him as he often paints himself or his family members into the picture. This adds to the appeal of his art piece as people would spend hours trying to locate the hidden messages that are interwoven into the picture ingeniously, and by doing so, they would actually study the piece closely and consequently, admiring the true beauty of his artworks.
Apart from landscape pieces, Kinkade also had an undeniable fascination for painting lighthouses amidst a raging sea. To him, a lighthouse presented a shining beacon of hope in times of darkness. Kinkade’s glorious, nostalgic paintings were also celebrated for its inspirational messages that motivate the heartstrings of his viewers.
One of his best loved pieces to grace the shores of Malaysia was ‘Disneyland 50th Anniversary Sleeping Beauty Castle’ painting, which was sold out within the week upon its arrival to the local signature gallery. All Kinkade’s art pieces are coded accordingly with his signature.
— Treazures Magazine