Art for Everybody

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Tim N @RT26467525 Nov 18 This film tells the story of Thomas Kinkade's journey from angst filled teenage artists through his conversion to evangelical Christianity and his innovative choice to create franchise model for galleries of his art in the 1990's. It looks at the fall of his empire. Among other things, his corporate production engine overproduced his art to the point where the Kinkade bubble collapsed leaving many franchise owner destitute. It won't be a spoiler to say that his personal story ends tragically in alcoholism. What is remarkable about the film is how it does many things at once well. It compassionately lets his daughters and wife tell the story of how both how they loved Kinkade but also dealt with his shadow side. It reminds us of how Kinkade intentionally set his work over and against the work of artists like Andres Serrano whose piece "Piss Christ" scandalized and outraged fundamentalists in the late 1980's. It tells the story of how Kinkade rode that outrage to tens of millions of dollars in profits. It explores his work through the lens of performance art. What if we understand his "Painter of Light" as a character he played among many? It introduces other pieces of art he did very different from the bucolic cottages. Overall, this is an excellent look into the life and work of Thomas Kinkade. I've long been fascinated by Kinkade's McDonaldization of sentimental landscapes and so I had high hopes for this film. They were exceeded. See more Karen d @RT62245389 04/28/2025 While the subject of this film certainly had imperfections — as all complex figures do — the movie’s relentless focus on shortcomings felt unbalanced. In choosing to highlight mostly the negative, the filmmakers missed an opportunity to present a fuller, more honest portrait that includes the good he produced alongside his flaws. True storytelling demands nuance, but this depiction leaned heavily toward critique without offering the necessary context or acknowledgment of his many contributions. A more even-handed approach would have made for a richer, more meaningful experience. This is a typical thank you from a client received over and over again Hi Karen, We were so delighted when we received ‘The Cottage’ yesterday! Absolutely beautiful! I told my wife it reminded me of her and our daughter picking flowers for arrangements in our own home . . . It brought tears of joy to both of us! It’s truly amazing . . . It looks so much better and more impactful than photos . . . Thank you so much for thinking of us and making our dreams a reality! With love, Stan & Rose ++++++++++++++++I speak from 25 years of selling Thomas Kinkade which the public *LOVE,* Karen's Kinkade Art store See more Read all reviews

Art for Everybody

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