Magical Christmas of Thomas Kinkade

Do you know that according to Kinkade’s company, one in every twenty American homes owns a copy of his paintings?

Thomas Kinkade paintings so perfectly captured the spirit of Christmas that millions of people not only in North America but all over the world enjoy them, especially in “the most beautiful time of the year.”

Christmas gave Kinkade the opportunity to create works filled with nostalgia, warmth, and good cheer – trademark qualities found throughout his entire body of work.

Maybe it’s because his childhood was not cloudless:

• “I grew up in a broken home. My dad was out of the home when I was five years old. I never knew him very well.”
• “I remember my mom had a big collection of copies of Saturday Evening Post magazines, and that was really my introduction to those great illustrators.”

Maybe that’s why the Christmas holiday seems like the perfect subject matter for the “Painter of Light.” There is even a holiday movie, “Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage,” based off one of his paintings.

Thomas Kinkade (January 19, 1958 – April 6, 2012) was an American painter of popular realistic, pastoral, and idyllic subjects. He is notable for achieving success during his lifetime with the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products via the Thomas Kinkade Company. Kinkade died of “acute intoxication” from alcohol and diazepam at the age of 54.

“Our most important legacy will be the contributions we make to the lives of other human beings.” And indeed, his paintings are his most important legacy.

Thomas Kinkade paintings are very closely associated with Christmas. Kinkade evoked the spirit of the winter holidays in so many of them, so, in celebration of Christmas, we’ve collected some of our favorite Kinkade Christmas paintings along with his own saying for you to enjoy.

Thomas Kinkade sayings about his Christmas paintings

• “In ‘Village Christmas,’ I have tried to capture a Christmas of a simpler time, where street lamps glow with the warm light of a natural flame and the townsfolk use a leisurely stroll to church as the opportunity to stop and chat about the joyous season.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “In ‘Christmas Memories,’ first in my series celebrating the joyous festivity of an earlier and more gracious era, one of California’s great historic houses shows its festive holiday face. Colorful lights spill out from the huge Christmas tree, as tethered horses await the close of festivities.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I can’t think of a better place to celebrate our Savior’s birth than Yosemite Valley, one of God’s most awesome creations. The Ahwahnee Hotel is located in the heart of the valley and has been there for nearly one hundred years.” – Thomas Kinkade“When I think of the glory of Christmas, I think of the radiant sunsets that set the snowy world aglow at that time of year. The luminous golden color of the sunset in ‘Christmas Tree Cottage’ is a vibrant reminder that the glory of the season truly comes from God alone.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Many elements of an earlier and simpler time survived in my boyhood hometown. Rustic scenes like ‘A Christmas Welcome,’ where horses wait patiently at a split rail fence while their riders enjoy holiday festivities in a rustic stone cottage, are treasured memories.” – Thomas Kinkade

• “Christmas is the Season of Light, and the hue that permeates ‘Memories of Christmas’ is the rosy glow of sunset. The nostalgic vision of life is often described as ‘seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.’ This celebration of community, set in simpler times, is perhaps best viewed through such tinted lenses!” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Of all the holiday rituals, the one I prize the most is the coming together of loved ones in shared celebration. Even if our family circle is small, the Christmas season can become a benchmark of friendship, a time when we pause to savor traditions of comfort and joy.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “In ‘Victorian Christmas III,’ I touch the quiet heart of the holiday itself. Bowered by stately evergreens and blanketed in new snow, this golden house is aglow with the spirit of Christmas.” – Thomas Kinkade

Thomas Kinkade Quotes

• “I love audio books, and when I paint I’m always listening to a book. I find that my imagination really takes flight in the painting process when I’m listening to audio books.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I view art as an inspirational tool.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Everyone can identify with a fragrant garden, with beauty of sunset, with the quiet of nature, with a warm and cozy cottage.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I remember my mom had a big collection of copies of Saturday Evening Post magazines, and that was really my introduction to those great illustrators.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I’m working on a snow scene right now, and it’s summer. It’s hot, and I will get chilly. I’ll have to turn on the heat. My wife walks in, and it’s 95 degrees in the studio. I know it’s nutty, but it’s a projection you have where you step into the painting.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “The concept that an artist would be revered by popular culture is an immediate dismissal of his relevance as an artist.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Rather than set aside daily time for prayer, I pray constantly and spontaneously about everything I encounter on a daily basis. When someone shares something with me, I’ll often simply say, ‘let’s pray about this right now.'” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I think each dwelling that I paint is an expression of something that I wish I could have had. For example, I painted a painting with a big, broad porch on it called “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” I always dreamed of having a big porch where you’d sit there.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I blend time frames in my paintings. I tend to like things without the reference of time. A garden could be now, it could be 100 years ago. It’s a garden. When I paint hometown settings, things like that, there is a sense of embracing an older life, but I have to say I like to mix time frames. I like to paint what could be now, if the right cars were on the street.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Cherish the people who make up your home, and you’ll notice the hearth fires burn brighter than ever before.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Every conversation, every cuddle, aver kiss and caress, even every disagreement, adds another brushstroke to the picture of home you paint with the days and hours of your life.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Surround yourself with the kinds of input that are uplifting, that expand your mind and settle your spirit.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “We all have romantic nature of one kind or another buried somewhere in our hearts.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Beauty is found in anything that delights the senses, nourishes the soul, fires the imagination.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “When I find my focus and keep my balance- I find that all is right with my world.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “You have to expect spiritual warfare whenever you stand up for righteousness or call attention to basic values. It’s just a matter of light battling the darkness. But the light wins every time. You can’t throw enough darkness on light to put it out.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I’m a warrior for light.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Love is the stepping stone to new beginnings.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “The power of prayer is like turning on a light as it illuminates God’s purpose for our lives. There is no greater connection to knowing His will other than the word.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “When we learn to say a deep, passionate yes to the things that really matter, then peace begins to settle onto our lives like golden sunlight sifting to a forest floor.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “The flow of blessings in our life is directly related to our passing blessings along to someone else.”
• “Steeping my life in beauty brings color to my days and a song to my heart.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I try to embrace people with love, unconditional love, like Christ did.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Romance makes a radiant sunrise out of every moment.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “When I filter the sunshine in my life, I bask in the light of a transforming and inspiring reality…” – Thomas Kinkade
• “The more you give yourself to others, the more joy and peace will flow into your own life.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Somewhere out there is a unique place for you to help others – a unique life role for you to fill that only you can fill.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I am really the most controversial artist in the world.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “To be romantic is quite simply to allow yourself to fall in love with life – all of life – and experience it fully, openly, passionately, and purposefully.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “A piece of art is a compact form of the universe.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “I believe a radiant, light-filled tomorrow should be normal to the experience of living.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “It’s a simple liberating reality – the best things in life are mine for the choosing…” – Thomas Kinkade
• “The most important key to a more romantic life: you have to be willing to pay attention.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “My paintings always feature trails that dissolve into mysterious areas, patches of light that lead the eye around corners, pathways, open gates, etc.” – Thomas Kinkade
• “Beautiful objects, ideas, even beautiful people all share the power to lift the spirits and motivate creativity while at the same time soothing the soul…” – Thomas Kinkade
• “The act of contributing to the lives of others is its own reward. A servant’s heart is a greater motivator than financial gain.” – Thomas Kinkade