Thomas Kincade

John Quinlan and I were lingering over our tea and coffee cups, when Nellie walked over to our table and said, “Did you hear?  Thomas Kincade died.”

I was surprised that she knew the name of the popular painter.  Nellie boasts, “I never want to go anywhere outside the borders of Texas.”  My impression of her was that her mind also never went beyond Texas.  My reaction must have shown in my face.  I said, “Yes, I heard about it on the news.” 

Nellie said proudly, “He was a great artist.” 

John said, “He certainly was great at promoting his work.  Besides his pictures, you see Kincade’s stuff on everything from note paper to lamps to coffee mugs.” 

Kincade made millions for his paintings.  He had a factory in California which printed copies of pictures of pretty cottages buried in colorful flowers.  In my trips to England I saw flowers everywhere, usually in the tiny front yards of ordinary brick houses.  I never saw a view reminding me of Kincade’s romantic paintings.  On my Roku, I watch televised series of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and her village of St. Mary Mead.  Those films present a fairly accurate representation of a typical English village.

After I saw a print of Kincade’s paining of an old stone bridge, with flowers behind it and all along the stream below, I got out my photo album and found my photo of an identical old, gray, stone bridge a dull gray brook.  I thought the real stone bridge made a nice photo, although there was not a single bright flower in the frame.  Reality versus romance.  Kincade’s “art” was designed for pretty calendars.

Recently the residents in this “Old Folks Home” discussed the meaning of “High Brow” and “Low Brow.”   Most of them seemed to think “High Brow” meant rich people who thought because they had money they were better than people who are not as rich as they were.  I could not persuade them that they defined the terms incorrectly.  I know wealthy people who are certainly Low Brow. 

A “High Brow” is a person who enjoys classical music, reads books for their literary quality, and appreciates fine art.  A “Low Brow” is person who loves country and western music, reads pop fiction (if he/she reads at all), and thinks Thomas Kincade is a great painter.

The important thing to remember is that neither “High Brow” or “Low Brow” is an indication of character.  Some of the finest people I know are “Low Brow.”  I don’t care if you are willing to pay a high price for a Kincade print to decorate your bedroom.  That’s your preference, and that’s all right.  To me it is more important that you have a kind heart. 

Bill Pyle told us he has a little ceramic Christmas tree designed by Kincade.  When he and his wife lived in a house, they had a big tree every Christmas.  Now they live in a small apartment.  Every year he plugs in Kincade’s little ceramic tree; it lights up and turns around in circles playing music. Living in reduced circumstances in this “Old Folks Home”, that little tree playing Christmas carols cheers them into a happy holiday mood.  Kincade’s design is a true Christmas gift.