Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light

Thomas Kinkade is America's most celebrated living artist, a painter-communicator whose tranquil, light infused paintings bring hope and joy to millions each year. Each painting Thomas Kinkade creates is a quiet messenger in the home, affirming the basic values of family and home, faith in God, and the luminous beauty of nature.

It was while growing up in the small town of Placerville that these simple, life affirming values were instilled in him. It was also during this time that Thom began to explore the world around him. He once spent a summer on a sketching tour with a college friend, producing the best-selling instructional book, "The Artist's Guide to Sketching." The success of the book landed the two young artists at Ralph Bakshi Studios to create background art for an animation feature where Kinkade was able to explore light and imaginative worlds with abandon.

After the film, Kinkade earned his living as a painter, selling his originals in galleries throughout California. In 1982, he married his childhood sweetheart, Nannette, and two years later they began to publish his art.

Kinkade is a devout Christian and credits the Lord for both the ability and the inspiration to create his paintings. His goal as an artist is to touch people of all faiths, and to bring peace and joy into their lives through the images he creates. The letters he receives every day testify to the fact that his is achieving his goal. Though a committed Christian, Kinkade believes that art is a universal language and has the power to touch people of all faiths.

A devoted husband and doting father to their four little girls, Kinkade hides the letter "N" in his paintings to pay tribute to his wife, Nannette, and the girls find their names and images in many of his paintings.

Thom has completed over 15 books throughout his career. Most recently, Warner Books published "Lightposts for Living", a best selling book which shares Thom's inspiring words as well as his art.

Kinkade has received numerous awards for his works. Most recently, he has been named by the National Association of Limited Edition Dealers (NAILED) as Graphic Artist of the Year and his works have been named Lithograph of the Year for seven years in a row.

Kinkade has also won the Collector Editions Award of Excellence and was a charter inductee to the Bradford International Hall of Fame for plate artists. In 1989, he was the Official Artist for the National Parks Collector's Print and has donated his art to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Christmas program. He has also presented paintings to Presidents and to Pope John Paul. After the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center, Thom's painting "Light of Freedom" was used to generate over $1.5 million in donations for the Salvation Army relief effort in New Your City. In 1999, Kinkade became a "Hall of Famer" in US Art Magazine.