Kinkade Defends Self but Says 'Sorry'

[Earth_First]

In a letter e-mailed to his licensed gallery owners this week, the artist accused "disgruntled ex-dealers" and a former employee of launching "media attacks" on him. But he also said he might have behaved badly during a stressful time, now behind him, during which he overindulged in food and drink and gained 50 pounds.

In sworn testimony and interviews with The Times, some ex-dealers have accused Kinkade — whose dreamily inspirational limited-edition prints are steeped in Christian-oriented themes of faith and family values — of ruining them financially while enriching himself and his business associates.

They and others also described incidents in which an allegedly drunken Kinkade heckled illusionists Siegfried and Roy; cursed a former employee's wife who came to his side when he fell off a barstool; fondled a startled woman's breasts at a signing party; and urinated on a Winnie the Pooh figure at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

The allegations emerge from arbitration claims filed by half a dozen former Thomas Kinkade Signature Gallery owners against the artist and Media Arts Group Inc., the public company he took private in 2004. Among other things, they allege they were stuck with expensive prints they couldn't sell and pressured to open new galleries in saturated markets.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-kinkade9mar09,0,5605083.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Sounds about par for the course. He "might" have behaved badly, but I've reconnected with God again, and I'm on the straight and narrow. "Trust me"

Personally, if I had any of his items, I'd return them at personal expense. Thanks but no thanks.

[Fridays Child]

1. His paintings are chock full o' syrupy goodness.

He should rename his business "Sweet & Sticky™."

[mdmc]

2. his "art"

I didn't care for. I've only see him displayed out in vegas:kick:

[Earth_First]

3. A vast majority of it is mass produced...n/t

[Crankie Avalon]

6. Glade has put his paintings on a number of their room deodorizer cans...

...so, when one picks up the aerosol can to spray away the poo smells after using the bathroom, think of it as a "Kinkade."

[grace0418]

4. If I had any of his items

I'd probably be dead from all the vomitting.

[hyphenate]

5. Doesn't sound like he has much of the "family values"

his patrons seem to see in his work. I dunno--I think I like him more with the above profile than the sweet, sappy, goody-two-shoes that his image projects. I know some fundies who absolutely fawn all over his work.

Personally, I see a lot of his work is pretty much the same in almost every shot. The house might be a different color, but there are only so many different kinds of houses to paint; the lighting might be different, but again, not so different than the next painting, and the theme of serenity can only be depicted in so many ways. He's what I would call a "safe" painter--not venturing too far from a proven formula designed to maximize his earnings with the least amount of effort.

He is definitely low on my own mind-list of artists, but it's not so much because his work isn't "pretty" but because it doesn't ask any questions, and certainly suggests no answers.

If you want to see an inspirational artist, go and visit the website for an artist named Rassouli: http://www.rassouli.com/home.htm His work is phenomenally a thousand times more enlightening than Kinkade's. (and the fact that many of Rassouli's paintings and prints are filled with inspirational women makes it even more interesting.)

[crispini]

7. You know, this guy is a worthy target

for one of DU's usual three minutes hate. Let's pile on! I'm in. Kinkade is a lousy excuse for a painter! His paintings don't deserve the name of "art." If someone gave me one I'd be more than delighted to slice it into ribbons, take a nice big crap on it and mail it to Kinkade.

Actually that sounds kind of like fun! Let's do that! Although I don't want to enable this hack bastard by purchasing any of his "art." So nevermind.

[TlalocW]

8. If Bob Ross were alive

He could totally kick Kinkade's ass...

Actually, Bob was in the marines so that's probably truer than I thought.

"Here's your happy trees, beyotch!"

TlalocW

[Buns_of_Fire]

9. Quick! Get that Winnie the Pooh figure on eBay!

"If you nail together two things that have never been nailed together before, some fool will buy it from you." -- George Carlin

After all, it's an Original Kincade Performance Artwork!

(Just wondering: When he makes a snowman, does he also "sign" his name in the snow, or do his employees touch that up, too?)

Next: Original Kincade Poo! (Encased in a signed block of clear acrylic resin, of course.) "Keep eating! We just got an order for 2500 of 'em!"

[TlalocW]

10. As usual, I can find a cartoon dealing with the subject matter

http://crap.jinwicked.com/

TlalocW