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

[marions ghost]

144. Art 101

"drawing and painting with undeniable skill beyond the vast majority of humanity" = does not equate to being an artist at the highest level. It makes you an illustrator, an artist who has skills but not necessarily much creativity, no ability to rise above the level of illustrator.

I could teach you or anybody how to draw. It can be learned if you don't have physical problems. I could channel Bob Ross and teach you how to paint Kinkades, too.

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Your attitude is really pompous towards the millions who bought Kinkade art --there must be a lot of "blithering
idiots" in America. I prefer to be charitable towards the victims (and maybe being told they were having a painting "created especially for them" has some kind of feel-good value that is worth money)--but basically what he did was rip people off in a big way, setting himself up to then market his brand everywhere and popularize his images on Hallmark cards etc --but his several hundred vanity galleries were in the business of scamming people, based on the lie that the paintings were originals by a highly talented artist.

"Artsy types" and "elitists" are continually slammed in America--and your post is a good example. This is where the anger comes from. This is why Kinkade is a controversial figure. This is the crux of the problem. So thanks for illustrating it so well.

Another thing--good art is not about "representation vs non-representational"--you're stuck in old dichotomies. Today anything goes. There are no preferred styles or forms--there is something for everybody...it's just what you do with it.