CREATING MY HOMETOWN

After such a great weekend at home in Placerville, I thought I'd share with you a little about how we created a wonderful replica of this place for the film Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage where the filming was conducted in the homey little town of Ft. Langley, Canada.

When we started work on the film, it became very obvious to me, that, if we were creating the first ever Thomas Kinkade film, then we have an obligation to create the world that so many have been collecting over the years. The film needed to have a visual quality that is reminiscent of my paintings. It was very important to me that, although this is a totally different medium than paint and canvas, Michael include the little secrets that I have long hidden within my paintings – symbols, dates, messages to my wife and my daughters, and hidden love notes that are a record of valued family moments. The hidden details are a way to pay tribute to my experiences and that which is important to me.

Watch carefully and you’ll see that the film also contains these hidden love notes. Can you find any of them?

A COUPLE OF SNAPSHOTS FROM THE WEEKEND

What a week! Thank you - thank you for taking the time to come out and see us at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville last weekend. It was such a pleasure meeting you all and hearing your stories. The Signature galleries of Folsom, Roseville and Placerville, who hosted the event, have long been dear friends. From Placerville we began a whirlwind week, flying on to San Diego on Saturday night for the next stop on the Share the Light Tour. Then it was on to Zionsville, IN on Sunday afternoon, Denver on Sunday evening and Boise, Idaho on Sunday night.

The folks in both Denver and Boise were especially gracious – we were terribly late as a result of a flight delay – but they waited for us. Very exciting – and touching! Both Nanette and I were so moved and appreciative of their kindness.

Over the course of the last week record amounts were raised for a variety of charities - from Victory Junction Gang Camp, to the Helen Woodward Pet Therapy Program. Your generosity continues to astonish and humble me.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE IT

I went home this past weekend – not the home I’ve owned with my childhood sweetheart, Nanette, where we’ve raised our four daughters, but home home…Placerville. I was there to celebrate the release of an image that celebrates the best about this idyllic American town – I’m calling it Hometown Christmas Memories. I’ve based the image on many fond memories of my hometown at the holidays.

Many of you know that I’ve long been a supporter of the Placerville Library – in fact, the original oil of one of my earliest paintings, Placerville 1916, hangs in the library to this day. This weekend a portion of the proceeds generated will be donated to the Placerville Friends of the Library Charity Foundation as a tribute to my long relationship with Placerville and the Library.

The event was the biggest one we have ever had! Over 2,000 people were there - some from as far as Fresno and even one guest who drove all the way from Montana (16 hours) to be with us. It was a pleasure seeing old friends and new faces, many of whom were being introduced to my artwork for the very first time.

CREATING MY HOMETOWN, PART II

There were so many characters that I grew up with in Placerville. Unique individuals, all of them. It was important that in the film depicting my hometown, that we had the same type of flavor to the supporting cast. We ended up with a great ensemble - Chris Elliot – one of the funniest human beings on the face of the earth, as Michael would say – Richard Moll, Charlotte Rae (who may just end up stealing the whole show), Ed Asner, and so many others.



Watching the idea of this movie come together has been one of the most thrilling projects I have ever worked on. The brilliance of the cast – and the truly remarkable resemblance to my own family and hometown characters – made my personal experience all the richer. Thank you for sharing your reactions to the film - I appreciate your honesty. And, whether your comments were good or bad, they are all important to the outcomes and impact of the film.

JARED

Jared Padelecki was the actor we chose to portray me, as a "young" Thomas Kinkade. Arla Campus had seen him on the TV show "Gilmore Girls" and felt he would be the perfect Thomas Kinkade. This guy is a movie star! He’s Jimmy Stewart meets Tom Hanks. He’s a delightful young man, and a very good actor. As I mentioned previously, Nanette tells me that we are alike in personality, though perhaps not in movie-star looks.

MARCIA GAY HARDEN

My mother is a woman of great strength. She has had a huge impact on me - as an artist, as a father, as a Christian. She embodies so many of the ideals that I try to portray in my art - trust, faith, hope, goodness. As a single mother trying to support and raise three children, she stood behind me as I set out on life, never waivering in her faith in me as an artist, as a painter.

I confess that I was a trifle anxious to see who Michael Campus might suggest for the role of Mary Anne Kinkade. What actress could really be qualified to bring my vibrant, loving mother to life on screen? Michael tells me that he often dreamt of the cast he was building - he was so consumed with finding the right actors for these roles that they filled his thoughts not only every waking moment, but in his dreams as well.

Marcia Gay Harden was our first choice for the role - when Michael told me of his plans, I knew immediately that she was perfect. Well-known for choosing complicated characters full of depth and meaning, Marcia has never shied away from fully inhabiting the characters she portrays. Her strength as an actress has been well rewarded with many awards and nominations, not the least of which is an Oscar.

She was able to bring that same strength, my mother's strength, to life in her role as Mary Anne, along with her independence and her fiery, indomitable spirit. Marcia's portrayal is a great tribute to my wonderful mother.