Biography

Source:http://www.thomaskinkade.com/magi/servlet/com.asucon.ebiz.biography.web.tk.BiographyServlet

 

In the very beginning of his artistic career, Thomas Kinkade put his entire life savings into the printing of his first lithograph. Though at the time he was already an acclaimed illustrator, Thom found that he was inspired not by fame and fortune, but by the simple act of painting straight from the heart, putting on canvas the natural wonders and images that moved him most. It was this dedication and singular-minded focus on the ultimate goal of Sharing the Light™ that made Thomas Kinkade, a simple boy with a brush from the small country town of Placerville, California the most-collected living artist of his time.

Throughout his life Thomas Kinkade shared his joy and used his paints in support of hospitals, schools, and humanitarian relief. Though the recipient of countless awards and honors, it was Thom’s profound sense of purpose that his art was not just an accessory, but also a ministry, that continues on as his legacy. From custom images that were sold for The Salvation Army, Hurricane Katrina relief, Rotary International, to donations that now grace the halls of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the White House, The Vatican, and Britain’s Tate Museum, Thom raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over his lifetime for charity.

Thomas Kinkade the artist was also a devout and loving family man. It was this devotion for his family that inspired him to add symbols of his love to his artwork. Numerous paintings contain hidden “N’s” representing Thom’s lovely wife Nanette and many other paintings include the numbers 5282 as tribute to their wedding date May 2, 1982. Thom’s four daughters were also included in his artistic process- after the birth of each of his daughters, Thom painted adoring images in each of their namesake; Evening at Merritt’s Cottage, Chandler’s Cottage, Winsor Manor and Everett’s Cottage.

Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light™, emphasized simple pleasures and inspirational messages through his art – and the branded products created from that art. From textiles, to collectibles, to music and books, Thom gave credit to a higher power for both the ability and the inspiration to create his paintings. His goal as an artist, who was Christian, was to touch people of all faiths, to bring peace and joy into their lives through the images he had created.

Thom’s dearest wish had always been that his artwork would be a messenger of hope and inspiration to others – a message to slow down, appreciate the little details in life, and to look for beauty in the world around us. As millions of collectors around the world sit back and enjoy his artwork in their homes, there is no doubt that Thomas Kinkade had indeed achieved his goal of Sharing the Light™.

 

 

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Thomas Kinkade Paintings

Source:http://www.desktopland.com/thomas-kinkade.htm

 

 

Thomas Kinkade paintings are so beloved you can actually live in one. In 2006, HST Group began planning a community called The Gates of Coeur d’Alene. Located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the master-planned neighborhood will be based on five Thomas Kinkade paintings: Beyond Autumn Gate, Blessings of Spring, Gardens beyond Spring Gate, Lamplight Manor and Windsor Manor. 

 

Thomas Kinkade paintings come from the mind of an artist who is a devout Christian. Though he has been criticized for commercializing his art, Kinkade is the most collected living artist in America.

 

Born in 1958 in Placerville, California, Thomas Kinkade has been making his living as an artist since co-writing the best-selling book, “The Artist’s Guide to Sketching.” He and a college friend produced the book after a summer sketching tour. The success of the book brought notoriety for Thomas Kinkade. Paintings and other art were soon his sole source of income.
Thomas Kinkade is often referred to as the “Painter of Light.” His style is generally pastoral and realistic, with a touch of idyllic brought in with his use of light and shadow. It is estimated that one in ten homes in America has Thomas Kinkade paintings, prints or other form of art.

 

The Gates of Coeur d’Alene community will allow homeowners to go beyond hanging Kinkade art in their homes and actually live inside it. The first five homes will be based on the following Thomas Kinkade paintings.

 

Beyond Autumn Gate
This painting came about when Kinkade revisited a gate he had painted many years before and entitled Autumn Gate. On the second visit, he stepped through the gate to see the manor beyond. He considered the larger manor to be a nice departure from the small cottages featured in most of his work.

 

Blessings of Spring
Featuring a Victorian manor that is an actual inn in England, this home will be stately and impressive. Kinkade discovered the house while on a walk and was pulled to it as he imagined guests arriving in carriages, dressed in their finest.

 

Gardens Beyond Spring Gate
Painted just prior to his 40th birthday, Thomas Kinkade calls the gardens in this painting his idea of Eden. The house is really just a backdrop, a gateway to enter the “loveliest imaginable setting for a civilized life.”*

 

Lamplight Manor
Part of the Lamplight Lane series, Lamplight Manor features a large manor on the brook Windemer. Kinkade himself pictures the inside with “sweeping spiral staircases, the luxurious tapestries, and the dignified library.”

 

Winsor Manor
Thomas Kinkade painted Winsor Manor on the occasion of his third daughter’s birth. Named after her, the “great house looms before us, its sweeping gables forming a dramatic ‘W’.” He considers this manor the perfect setting for gathering family and friends together.
Though not for everyone, “The Gates of Coeur d’Alene” is certainly a tribute to the popularity of and love for Thomas Kinkade paintings.

 

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“Bridges of Faith” – Thomas Kinkade

Source: “Bridges of Faith” by Thomas Kinkade

 

 

“Nothing is more empowering than a belief. And no belief is stronger than a belief in what we cannot see – a faith. Faith is an invisible force that is quite tangible and when put to task, it answers all our needs.

 

Just like a ship’s rudder in choppy waters, faith keeps us on course and makes our lives more joyful, more creative, more spontaneous and yet more peaceful. It provides comfort, guidance and thanksgiving. It allows us to rejoice and make joyful noise, even during our most difficult times. “Bridges of Faith” is a celebration of our greatest human characteristic……our spiritual dimension; our faith.”

 

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“Life’s Little Blessings” – Thomas Kinkade

Source: “Life’s Little Blessings” by Thomas Kinkade

 

“The flow of blessings in our life is directly related to our passing blessings along to someone else.” – Thomas Kinkade

 

“How easy it is to get wrapped up in the hectic pace of our modern lives. We are so often rushing from one thing on our ‘list’ to the next that we rarely take the time to recognize and enjoy those things that matter most.

 

Blessings surround us if we but open our eyes to them…they are present everywhere in those that we love and in this beautiful world in which we live. These blessings, like nothing else we can gain, are capable of bringing light to our lives. In my art, Light has a profoundly evocative power – a power that is both calming and energizing. And I have learned that a recognition of and an appreciation for life’s little blessings can hold the same power.

 

I believe that reveling in simple joys is the greatest remedy for a complex and frenetic life. They are never hard to find – these little blessings and simple joys; – to the contrary, they are impossible to miss if we slow our pace, find our life’s true center and take notice of the miracles occurring around us everyday.”

 

–    Thomas Kinkade

 

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“Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon & Garfunkel

 

When you’re weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I’m on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can’t be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

 

 

When you’re down and out,
When you’re on the street,
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you.
I’ll take your part.
When darkness comes
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

 

 

Sail on silver girl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.

 

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Leap of faith

noun

1.                               1.

an act of believing in or attempting something whose existence or outcome cannot be proved or known.

“Anyone investing in new media today has to make a leap of faith.”

 

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A “leap of faith” is similar to a “bridge of faith” – Faith and Hope are extremely important in the natural scheme of things; don’t ever make the mistake of underestimating their importance. Faith and Hope are what keep  people alive, alert and “going strong” when all else seems hopeless, useless, worthless and fruitless.

 

 

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Bridge over Troubled Water

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Bridge over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released in January 1970 on Columbia Records. Following the duo’s soundtrack for The Graduate, Art Garfunkel took an acting role in the film Catch-22, while Paul Simon worked on the songs, writing all tracks except Felice and Boudleaux Bryant’s Bye Bye Love (previously a hit for the Everly Brothers). With the help of producer Roy Halee, the album followed a similar musical pattern as their Bookends, partly abandoning their traditional style in favor of a more creative sound, combining rock, R&B, gospel, jazz, World music, pop and other genres. After filming Catch-22, Garfunkel returned and the duo recorded around 14 tracks, three of which were not featured in the album. The inclusion of a 12th track was long discussed but they eventually decided upon 11 songs. It was described as both their “most effortless record and their most ambitious.”

Bridge over Troubled Water was released on January 26, 1970 and several re-releases followed. Columbia Records released a 40th Anniversary Edition on March 8, 2011, which includes two DVDs, including the political TV special Songs of America, the documentary The Harmony Game, additional liner notes and a booklet. Other reissues contain bonus tracks, such as the 2001 version, which covers the demo tapes of “Feuilles-O” and “Bridge over Troubled Water”.

Despite numerous accolades, the duo decided to split up, and parted company later in 1970; Garfunkel continued his film career, while Simon worked intensely with music. Both released solo albums in the following years. Bridge includes two of the duo’s most critically and commercially acclaimed songs, “Bridge over Troubled Water” and “The Boxer“, which were listed on Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Both critically and commercially successful, the album topped the charts in over ten countries and received twoGrammy Awards, plus four more for the title song. It sold around 25 million records and was ranked on several lists, including at number 51 on Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

 

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As the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel’s, “Bridge over Troubled Water” rightly point out, we all need, at some time or another, in our lives, a “Bridge of Faith.” Technically, a bridge is a structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or across any other obstacle. As a verb, “to bridge” implies being or making a bridge over (something.) It means “to span, to cross, to cross over, to go over, to pass over, to extend across, to reach across, to traverse or to arch over (something.) As far as the song goes, “troubled water” gives us the imagery of rough, choppy and stormy seas – where the water is so turbulent that it has churned itself into something that is akin to a thick froth. Such “troubled waters” refers to all the obstacles that come along in Life, including sad, tragic and difficult times. At such times, each and every single one of us is grateful if we have a friend who sacrifices all, just to “be there” when no one else bothers to do so; to lend a sympathetic ear to one’s problems; to bring a smile to one’s lips when one is at one’s lowest ebb, to make us laugh when we feel that all is hopeless and worthless and who are there to teach us the true meaning of love and to teach us the importance of having faith, especially when one is “so down and out” that one feels completely lost, dejected, depressed, listless and forlorn. Such people, who stand by our side providing loyal support, faithful guidance and the true essence of love, when we most need it, are true friends indeed. They are like a projecting shaft of bright light in a dark and dull landscape – the landscape that we call Life. These people, who inadvertently become “Bridges of Faith”, could range from being our family members, our friends, our teachers, our colleagues, our superiors and even total strangers.

 

“IF GOD BRINGS YOU TO IT, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT HE WILL BRING YOU THROUGH IT.” DIFFICULT TIMES ARE SENT OUR WAY AS A TEST OF OUR DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE DESPITE MANY ODDS TO THE CONTRARY. IN SUCH A TROUBLED SCENARIO, THE MAN WHO ‘CAN’ AND ‘WILL’ STAND UP STRONG EACH TIME THAT HE FALLS, IS THE ABSOLUTE WINNER. OUR ULTIMATE BRIDGE OF FAITH IS GOD AND IT IS HIS SPIRIT THAT KEEPS OUR FAITH GOING STRONG WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS.

 

LET IT NEVER HAPPEN THAT WE LOSE OUR FAITH IN GOD – HE IS OUR TRUEST BEACON OF HOPE, FAITH AND LIGHT IN A WORLD THAT HAS GONE CRAZY AND IS GOING CRAZIER BY THE MINUTE.