OREM — Thomas Kinkade's life story reads like a TV Guide snippet for a Hallmark movie special: At-risk kid marries his childhood sweetheart, becomes a rich and famous artist, then donates his money to charities.
A perfect recipe for success in Happy Valley.
The Thomas Kinkade Garden Gallery in the University Mall in Orem ranked sixth nationally among 350 Signature Galleries in sales in February, the last month such figures are available, said Scott Fasken, the store's owner.
Signature Galleries sells only works by Thomas Kinkade — the "Painter of Light" who is as firmly derided by critics as he is embraced by fans and admirers.
Fasken attributes Kinkade's appeal to Utah's demographics. Here, the majority of folks identify with the values of the artist.
"Thom paints from home, family, faith and simpler times," Fasken said. "Culturally, that's Utah County."
The average Kinkade collector owns six to eight pieces, though some customers have purchased as many as 20. One client accounted for 40 percent of the February sales, Fasken said.
For Bruce Smith, a Brigham Young University professor of painting and drawing, this is not good news.
"I just think that it is a real travesty against the public, who are kind of longing for something uplifting to put on their wall," Smith said. "It is indicative of the fact, maybe because of LDS influence, that people are really longing to have positive images around them. Kinkade has just picked up on that."
Art collector Peg Fugal takes a different approach.
"The art that hangs on your walls influences your children's thoughts and goals, so you want to be careful what you hang," Fugal said.
Fugal, a New York native who lives in Highland, has been collecting art for 30 years. She recently added a Kinkade work to her collection and now owns eight pieces, which are displayed in her living room, bathroom, office, foyer and guest room.
"They speak to me," she said. "I own his only farm piece because I grew up on a farm. I own one that looks like the street I grew up on, and one that looks like my grandmother's house."
Fugal enjoys Kinkade's paintings and books but says he "proliferates himself too much" with calendars, puzzles and plates. "I wish he wouldn't do those things," she said. "I think that diminishes the value, but that doesn't stop me from collecting his limited edition oils."
The academic community has more criticism than simply the quantity of Kinkade products.
"As far as art work goes, it doesn't really make my heart beat faster or my hair stand up," said University of Utah painting and drawing professor John Erickson. "Kinkade is the fine art equivalent of a combination of Martha Stewart and McDonald's."
Erickson said that while "the imagery that Kinkade dishes up gives you that warm fuzzy feeling," it is often cliche.
"Kinkade suspends our distrust of fine art and allows us to feel completely comfortable, which also allows us to open up our checkbook," he said.
Kinkade could teach artists lessons about marketing, however.
"On a capitalist level he's done really well as an artist," he said.
Kinkade is known for his use of light in his paintings. The technique elicits groans from many other artists.
"Quaint cottages in broad daylight have windows that shine as if it is night time," Smith said.
"Whether or not in 50 or 60 years these things are going to have any value, I really doubt it, frankly," said the BYU professor. "It isn't very good art to begin with. He's just very average or below average in his ability."
Kinkade grew up and continues to live in northern California. His father left the home when he was young, but Kinkade was not without encouragement. His family and a mentor, a retired art professor, supported the young artist's goals.
Kinkade also is known for hiding the letter "N" in his paintings to honor his wife, Nanette. A number in the corner discloses the number of "N's" in the painting.
Kinkade's popularity is not limited to Utah, however. The top five Kinkade galleries spread from California to Tennessee, Minnesota and New Jersey.
Kinkade, though, has visited Utah twice in the past two years.
During his last visit in February, he learned of a 27-year-old Utah County woman with leukemia who had purchased a painting from the Orem store. He made a remarque, a sketch on the back of the painting that increases its value, signed his name, then asked for her phone number.
Kinkade called her and prayed with her over the phone.
"He is who he claims to be," Fugal said. "He is very friendly, very family-oriented and very Christian."
E-MAIL: cbuys@desnews.com