Thomas Kinkade

Thomas Kinkade is America's most collected 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 body 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 Thomas 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 young artist in Hollywood to create background art for the animation feature, "Fire and Ice", 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, Nanette, and two years later they began to publish his art.

Kinkade has received numerous awards for his works. Most recently , he has been named by the "National Association of Limited Edition Dealers" (NALED) as "Graphic Artist of the Year" for the second year in a row. He has also been named NALED's "Artist of the Year" and his works have been named "Graphic Art Print of the Year" for five years in a row.

Kinkade has also won the "Collector's Editions Award of Excellence" and was a charter inductee, along with his idol, Norman Rockwell, 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 foe the "Veteran's of Foreign Wars" (VFW), Christmas program, earning him their coveted "Commander in Chief Special Award." Kinkade is also the only artist named as "Future Hall of Famer" in US Art Magazine."