Thomas Kinkade died at 54

Thomas Kinkade was an amazing artist. When I heard of his death I was sitting in Hardees with my husband. I was shocked when it came across the news. I have always liked Kinkade's art and have even bought a few of his pieces to give as presents to family and friends. My favorite painting of his has always been Deer Creek Cottage. He painted it when I was two years old, but I don't consciously remember seeing it until I was in middle school. We had to write a paper in art class about our favorite artist, what medium he/she used most often, and which of their specific pieces was our favorite and why. Deer Creek Cottage really stood out to me. I love the wintery look and how brightly the lights in the house illuminate the snow and the creek below. At first glance, you may not see the deer in the corner, but when you do, you can tell they look to be curious. This image has always put a smile on my face. Below, you can see the image I am talking about, or you can go to the official website and browse his work.

I have also found that Thomas Kinkade was very popular for his lighthouse paintings. The Light of Peace is a very inspirational painting of a lighthouse. Actually, almost all of his paintings have some inspirational aspects to them which I find really awesome. Here is what Thomas Kinkade had to say about The Light of Peace: "Storms must end. God's glorious light streams through the clouds in brilliant beams. That moment, when peace returns to the land, sea, and sky is a wonderful affirmation. It is the inspiration for The Light of Peace, third in my Seaside Memories collection. These heavenly lights literally take my breath away; I hope this dramatic print has that effect on you." I find this to be very moving as a Christian. I know that when a storm comes in my life I feel terrified, but when it all subsides I feel that sense of peace that he illustrates perfectly in this painting.

Unfortunately, many in the art field regarded Kinkade as if he wasn't a real artist. They felt as if he was only giving people what they wanted and not something different. In my eyes, there is nothing wrong with traditional work that I can put in any room of my house. According to a news article highlighting his death, Kinkade even told The New York Times in 2001, “I view art as an inspirational tool... People who put my paintings on their walls are putting their values on their walls: faith, family, home, a simpler way of living, the beauty of nature, quiet, tranquillity, peace, joy, hope. They beckon you into this world that provides an alternative to your nightly news broadcast.” I completely admire him for this. I love having inspirational pictures and quotes surrounding me because I really don't like feeling down all the time. Kinkade is in part, one of the reasons I really love photography. How is that? Well it's because photography is an art and there are many people that I look up to who have inspired me in the wonderful field that art has expanded to. It's hard to believe he is dead, but I thank God for putting Thomas Kinkade in this world to be the inspiration that he is.