Thomas Kinkade

One of the painters whos work I admire tremendously is Thomas Kinkade.

Born on January 19, 1958 in Sacramento, California, Thomas grew up in Placerville, California. Even though the family was not rich, he grew up with an elder sister and a brother in, as Thomas would say: "rich in the greatest form of wealth; a nurturing and affirming love."

This somehow seems contrary to the fact that his parents got divorced when Thomas was about 5 years old. His mother tried to do her best to keep her little family afloat with her job as a secretary, which was not easy at those times.

The kids were often by themselves and lived in a run down house. Still, Thomas' mother would decorate their home with framed drawings which Thomas made during his childhood and Thomas was constantly encouraged to develop his artistic abilities.

©2009 The Thomas Kinkade Company

He attended highschool where he met his future wife Nanette and after his graduation in 1976 he went to Berkeley, the University of California. The general education he had there, did not appeal to Thomas and after two years he attented the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. This is where he met the present artist James Gurney, who also was his roommate.

Thomas and Nanette got married in 1982. They have four daughters: Merritt (1988), Chandler (1991), Winsor (1995) and Everett (1997). All the girls were named after famous artists and all have Christian as their middle names. This last is due to the fact that Kinkade is a devout Christian himself.

When growing up during those times of hardship, where his mother tried to make ends meet, Thomas set as a goal for himself: never to have to live in poverty again. With the support and encouragement of his wife and Thomas giving credit to God's abundant blessings, he definitely has reached his goal!

See also:
Thomas Kinkade's Work
Thomas Kinkade's Economical Impact
Thomas Kinkade Passed Away