I’m not really sure what to think about Thomas Kincade’s death. I mean, I have my own personal opinion, but I’m not sure what to think or actually say, when I try to exhibit grace. It’s hard. For years my wife and I saved up our money to purchase one of his paintings for our living room. We finally got one and were so happy. We respected his artwork, his messsage, an his Christian testimony.
Then my wife went to see him live and in person at an event. Her retelling to me of it did not impress. Kincade was overweight, and I mean grossly overweight. He didn’t take care of himself. He was a poor example of what a Christian should be. When she told me, I kinda pictured a concert where an aging, should of packed away his guitar, former rock star was still trying to recapture something that was gone forever.
Then we started reading about how he treats the people he licenses his stores to. Then we heard about all the problems with unfair business practices between he and others.
Slowly, the painter of light’s esteem in my eyes faded to nothing. It seemed like he was a has-been who really had been at one time and then lost it. Did he lose his faith? Did he ever really have it in the first place? What happened to make himself lose who he was?
And now, we come to the end. The headline I have in front of me reads, “Valium, alcohol killed painter Kincade”. An overdose of alcohol and prescription tanquilizers did him in.
Now, the painting on our living room wall just doesn’t seem so impressive anymore. I’d prefer to move it somewhere else. Personally, I see no reason to honor his work anymore. But that’s just me. Millions of you out there have Kincade paintings on your walls. What do you think?
The Pilgrimage 
I think if you are expecting a person to be perfect your expectations are too high. His art is still beautiful and just because he fell short or stumbled that doesn’t change what he aspired to. People fail, we shouldn’t expect that because he was gifted he wouldn’t.
Via Facebook- Patricia wrote: “I went to Columbus College of Art and Design. I loved the renaissance way of painting and studied it alot. I did not finish ( sorry to say) but I understood about art and what art was really supposed to mean to a person. I can tell you that I watched the 60 min. interview on CBS and I can tell you why most artists didn’t consider him one. He used prints to copy or make many of then paint over the prints putting highlights of “light” where he thought they should go. I never really believed in his work when watching this “interview/I will show you how it’s done show” I just wanted to see what all the hype was about. I was disappointed to find out what he did because that in my mind was not what being an artist is about.So I never really considered him an artist after that. If you get a chance to see the 60 MIN. interview, watch it and tell me what you think. I’m pretty sure it was with Mike Wallace.”