Thomas Kinkade, one of nation's most popular painters, dies in Los Gatos

[marions ghost]

131. and my point is...

NOT that other artists have not had helpers, apprentices, whatever

NOT that other artists haven't capitalized on photo repro technology --I have NO problem with that as long as the buyer knows what he/she is getting -- and that what they are buying will not increase in value but only decrease, as most tangible products do. Fine to make art for the lower budget & price reproductions fairly.

BUT what Kinkade did was to represent his work as precious objects--painted or at least partly painted by him, when in fact, many were canvas repros touched up by factory workers. He PRICED this work as high as original artworks. He duped buyers into thinking they would hold their value, when in fact, they don't have that potential. But most people don't understand how art marketing works--he capitalized on that naivete (which I don't fault people for, at all--we've all been sold something by scammers). Kinkade built his empire on false pretenses, ie. lies. He was a fake.