Ugh… Such a sad subject to begin the month of September! Alas, it is where we “left off” in discussing the idea of excellence in Art.
Important article about Thomas Kinkade by Daniel Siedell. Many Christians had no idea who he really was and the theology that moved him to paint as he did. Here is a quote from Thomas Kinkade that explains so much, “I like to portray a world without the Fall.”
More from Daniel Siedell that I very much agree with: “But Kinkade’s images prey on his audience’s preconceptions, expectations, and presumptions, restricting rather than broadening or deepening their experience… and artistic problems which infect a large swath of the contemporary art world as well. But from a theological perspective, his work is not merely problematic, it is dangerous. Kinkade and his devotees have long railed against the nihilism of modern art and the contemporary art world. But because it denies the very foundation of our relationship to God in Christ, Kinkade’s work is more nihilistic than anything Picasso and Pollock could paint, or Nietzsche and Sartre could write.”
Interested???
Please go to Mr Siedell’s page for Reasonable thoughts about the dangers of Kinkade’s visual theology Here
Art is vital to the defining of who we are as a community. If you research these articles you will see that the paintings of Thomas Kinkade did much more damage than good to the Christian community. His beliefs that energized the work was filled with error of belief that led to visual evidence of hypocrisy.
Art cannot lie. That is our HIGH for this posting.
Even when the work grows from a place of wrong beliefs, the art will always end up telling the truth. As seen in the works of Thomas Kinkade.
The Drunken Downfall (and Death) of Thomas Kinkade by Matt S,
“As a Christian with with evangelical—small e—leanings myself, I am finally most saddened by Kinkade’s story because I know Evangelicalism helped him perpetuate his lie. Christians often want to ignore the darkness and sin. But I, for one, find consolation in art that explores the dark places with honesty. It strikes a chord, showing me I’m not alone. It’s counter-intuitive perhaps, but such art gives me hope and often helps me to heal. I wish Kinkade could have gone there, too. He didn’t, but there is a place for honest art created by and/or appreciated by Christians. For now maybe Kinkade’s life story can serve as something of a cautionary tale about what happens when Christians demand just the “clean” stuff. We might instead be surprised to find more comfort in artists who bear their Cross and create from a place of suffering.”
Our LOW with Truth…
Truth always has a way of coming into view! It will slide right out of us without us even realizing that our “slip is showing.” In Kinkade’s paintings and much of what our previous post was about (Christian Art) shows is that there is actually no such thing as Christian Art. As well there should not be!
Art is defined by its home, its authority and its audience. When a person tries to ignore those who are the HOME for Art or the Authority that declares something to be Art displaying it on their own, it exemplifies all we want to avoid! We must never DECLARE OUR WORK TO BE ART! It is hubris. We rely on the authorities to know what the Art is saying and rely on their expertise to enliven and share us, our work, with the Audience that matters for the work.
our Buffalo: Is the way of what this does for us…
- These unspoken “checks and balances” keep us making work that connects.
- AND moves us to make Art beyond ourselves so that we can encourage each other.
“In the 1980s, Kinkade thought the art world had become detached from the public—and he saw himself as the person to return it to an artist-as-servant model, where painters affirmed rather than challenged social values. His hero was Andy Warhol, who, he felt, had rescued art from insularity and infused it with iconography that meant something to ordinary people; what Warhol did with soup cans and Marilyn Monroe, Kinkade thought he could do with Eden-inspired garden scenes and Cotswolds cottages.” Matt S,
“The dilemma with Kinkade’s art is that he sweeps human suffering under the rug. It sees the world through a pre-Fall lens.” Matt S.
Though we may all want to be rid of our default setting of selfishness, self-worship and being our own answer, this solution only comes through ONE door, Jesus Christ AFTER we die. We will never be rid of our bent to have our own way. WE cannot remove the desire for darkness, Only God can do that. That is why He came, died and rose again. Simple, but so hard.
Thomas Kinkade tried to remove sin from our world through his paintings. All he removed was the authenticity of his suffering. That which remained were plastic shells of what we would WANT to be Art. THEY DIDN’T FOOL ANYONE!
Next newsletter will tell of Adolf Hitler’s love for Art as well as his sad lack of ability that drove him to madness and the near destruction of an entire people group.
It is true! Know you can’t wait to read more about it.
So sorry this newsletter is so late! Please pass the news letter along to your friends. I almost have 100 subscribers. 
Mind over things that matter 