I’ve heard many people say that they like abstract art. They hang it up on the wall, and it adds a splash of color to the room. You can get a little bit out of it – but, to me, it’s like comparing jazz music with a powerful ballad. When someone is singing their heart out, telling a story, there is far greater impact than just a snappy tune. The power is in the narrative – the ability to capture the mind and tell a story. A story that touches the soul, as well as the mind.I’ve been entranced with a new book entitled The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution. I would highly encourage everyone to read this book. The author, Dennis Dutton, a great academic thinker from New Zealand, has a philosophy that so closely mirrors my own. Dutton maintains that humans, cross-culturally, have a fundamental need to be reaffirmed about places that are safe and comfortable – he calls this the “landscape of longing”. Around the world, from the Far East, to South America, to Canada, North America, Eastern Europe – universally, these cultures long for visual landscapes that bring them to a place of comfort and peace. Landscapes that include the comfort of water, and leafing trees providing shade. Mountains that give you something to look out on, trails to attract the eye - places of peace, places of sanctuary.
I’ve never tried to maintain that my paintings are realistic – if I wanted them to be real I would have been a photographer. My paintings are fantasies, an oasis of the mind, an answer to the longing of the human heart for sanctuary. If you, too, are an artist, take this into mind when you create – it’s not just about you and what you want to express, it’s about what you can give to your viewer. I call it “socially-conscious art”. Art that portrays something that is better than reality, something to aspire to.
There’s enough chaos in the world – we don’t need to glorify in our art.
6 comments:
So true I write what I call conscientious poetry, its all about what I see and feel around me and I find most of its about yearning to find a comfort and safe imagery in my words. When I look at your Art I find that sanctuary in the imagery. Like a flowing grace enters your heart and brings a semblence of peace.
I dreamt a dream, a soulful one,
i danced on hills of grass so green
ageless beauty, shadowed sun,
such radiant splendour id never seen.
i dreamt a dream of wild seas,
frothing waves that danced and leaped
tangent smoothness it did tease,
into my skin its waters seeped.
i dreamt a dream of a field,
magnified in glory and scent,
a garden of blooms it did yield,
a vision sent a vision leant.
Part of one of my poems which to me speaks of being in an artists painting and living there.
kudos Serenity
My almost 8yr daughter absolutely loves your work! Everytime we go to the mall she always has to go into the little Thomas Kinkade gallery. She likes to get the little post cards and go home and try to paint what is on the post cards. She is a lefty and soaks up the world like a little sponge. She tells everyone that she wants to be an artist when she gets older and always asks to take art classes. We are currently looking for classes when she doesn't have her other classes as she is a very busy child. She takes ballet, jazz, tumbling and karate and she is very good at them all.
She is very happy the salesperson told us about your website and she is looking forward to painting some of your pieces...of course with her own little twist.
Hello! Im an art student at college currently, and I have such a passion for painting as well, your work is wonderful and wondering if you had any tips or advice for those of us following the art of expression, story telling, and much much more in the form of painting
thank you : )
Thank you for your comments about abstract art. There are many types of art for many types of people. Obviously, since I am on Thom's Blog, my preference is the art that Thomas Kinkade gives to us.
I just received the "Freedom of Light" and it is so beautiful. It is even more meaningful to me because my husband served in the
Air Force for 20 years and God and Country have always been very important to us. My husband died this past February and I know he would love this painting hanging over his recliner.
We have a 20 foot flagpool with the American Flag flying in front of our home. My husband had an electrician come out and set two lights to shine on the flag always. We had use of the second light when we lowered the flag to half-mast when he died. We kept it at half-mast for 30 days. He was the head of our household so it was appropriate.
Thank you for the beauty that you have depicted that is in this world. Too often, we don't see it even when it is in front of us.
God Bless you,
Mamie C.
Before I answer this blog article I would like to thank your for the beauty and serenity that your gave to people through your work and, for the happiness that you've given to me, when I "saw" you the first time.
It was through painting "Christmas Evening"...
First was the tear, then wonder!
That wonder with no air, no winking, no questions, no ... just wonder.
Wonder that thing like this exists and somebody could painting something so beautiful, so full of color and joy with so much love ...
Warmth, atmosphere and beauty of each picture turn up beyond them, beyond the borders of time ... until the soul!
After tears and wonder followed smile!
A broad smile of joy, a smile of love peony in cheeks, fulfillment somewhat and my eyes were full of brilliance - I remember that I could not get enought!
After then was peace and happiness that I have found you happen or not ... in a Christmas Eve after four years.
This is for me ... the painter Thomas Kinkade! Thank you!
.............
And ... to answer the article, I consider that art should not be divided or limited.
Art is after all what we see and feel each of the viewers!
True value is in the eyes of those who look!
I love Rembrandt, Klimt, I appreciete Picasso, but I am always happy and exited like a child to look closely a Kinkade!
In my soul, a Kinkade is inestimable!
If Glen was your miracle, you were my miracle and thanks a lot because you exist and exist so beautiful!
This is exactly what Walter Benjamin and Theodor Adorno were addressing when articulating their notion of Umfunktionierung. I am so very glad to finally see an artist that is willing to react against the same bourgeois ideology that these thinkers found problematic in the Neue Sachlichkeit of the 1930's.
Thank you for creating these beautiful little worlds that we all may occupy.
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