Art in a Fallen World

When the newly renovated Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., was reopened in 2010, the single most dramatic work of art inside was a 15-by-31-foot mural called "The Cross," painted by Thomas Kinkade. In a video explaining the work, Kinkade speaks of the commission (by Franklin Graham) as "a moment of divine inspiration" and says that the painting offers viewers "a glimpse of a heavenly realm."

Humble as the Graham Library may be in comparison, it's hard not to see in this epic painting and its creator a faint echo of the Sistine Chapel and its own heroic muralist.

When it was reported that Kinkade had died on Good Friday this year, at age 54, after a night of heavy drinking, no one was more shocked than his legion of Christian admirers who consider his paintings beacons of serenity and faith.

The artist's death brought to a tragic end a life that seemed equal parts Norman Rockwell and Citizen Kane. In so many ways, it is a quintessentially American story: the triumph of a rags-to-riches rebel who challenges the establishment (in this case the art world), touching the hearts of millions and achieving success with paintings that celebrate God, country and family values.

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Evermyrtle

Billy Graham has been and still is one of the worlds greatest workers of JESUS CHRIST.Kinkade is my favorite artist. His works are so beautiful. and I pray GOD will give me the blessing to be able to visit, The Billy Graham Library, one day.
bighoss

GOOD GRIEF!!

Thomas Kinkade's work was SCHLOCK ART, mass-produced by Kinkade and a cadre of other paint dabbers who generated their product in an assembly line fashion. It is absolutely insane to even mention his work in the same sentence with the work of Michelangelo!

As to his death after a night of heavy drinking, those who dote sentimentally over Kinkade's alleged faith might take note of the scriptures that condemn drunkenness, including the unequivocal condemnation expressed in 1 Corinthians 6:10. Check it out.

And no one who has followed Kinkade's personal life should be shocked to find that he drank himself to an early dirt nap. The reprobate was drunk a few years ago in Disneyland, where he was famously reported as publicly urinating on "Winnie the Pooh." Below is a link to a description of that incident and other dirt on this dirt bag, including some of his shady financial dealings. Kinkade was a creep! Some folks need to wake up and smell the reality of just who and what this slimy poseur actually was! Read about it!
http://www.correntewire.com/christianist_painter_…

Yet more: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/mar/09/business/…
- Evermyrtle
  
  Matt. 7:1-5
  1; Judge not, that you be not judged.
  2. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
  3. And why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye:
  4. Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the mote out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye?
  5, Thou HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then you shall see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother' eye.
  
  Just remember, these verses are not for those who are perfect., they are written for us who are sinners.
  - bighoss
    
    And the verse I cited about drunkards being Biblically condemned and hell-bound has words of warning for that class or reprobates! It is not hypocritical to cite scripture when it is applicable and you can't accuse me of being hypocritical in this Kinkade thing, since, unlike that varmint, I do no drink alcoholic beverages in any form. Kinkade is right now one sizzling sot!
    - Smith
      
      None of know where Kinkade is right now, except God. Let us all judge ourselves daily, examine our lives daily, and pray that everything we do and say points others to Christ. Lets leave the judging to Him.
  - http://youtu.be/zjgBhpanOfQ Despeville
    
    Why do you abuse the Scriptures constantly Myrtle? This is not a Chinese cookie so stop treating God's Word like one.
- Taquoshi
  
  Can we talk about Mozart, too? His life was such a model of Christian piety, yet God used the man.
  
  I've been astounded at the amount of furious, angry posts that I've seen here and on other sites. People, including Kinkade's brother, have not hesitated to wash his dirty laundry in public. And that speaks so well of the commentators.
  
  Yes, his art may be commercialized, yes, it may have been formula- driven. And it was shipped overseas for finishing in China, which is where I am told that the Chinese have developed a lucrative niche market for printing fine art books, which the American printers apparently ignored.
  
  However, the thing that baffles me is why these art critics and apparent Thomas Kinkade haters flock to read articles about him and post vile comments. He, unlike many other artists, was not making political statements with his art. He was producing something calm and soothing for a chaotic world.
  
  But that's okay. The anti-Kinkade crowd are welcomed to their Robert Maplethorpes, Andres Serranos and Cosimo Cavallaros. I certainly don't want their stuff nor do I hang out on sites posting nasty comments about the artists. But to each, his own.
- http://youtu.be/zjgBhpanOfQ Despeville
  
  SCHLOCK is right description for this kitsch "art" Hoss.
  So is for this type of "Christianity": http://youtu.be/I4uDgQa2nbU
bighoss

Kinkade also was producing outrageous drunken public behavior. And you are using a transparent device of exaggerating the responses of those who, like me, find it interesting that so many dullards would actually find Kinkadee's work to somehow resemble art and who don't understand why anyone would not rank Kinkade up there with the great artists of ages past.
- bighoss
  
  This entry responds to Taquoshi''s comments, above.