About The Kinkade Family Foundation
The inspiration for The Kinkade Family Foundation, which is family-run, is found in the work created by the globally renowned American artist Thomas Kinkade, recognized as "The Painter of Light.” During Kinkade’s lifetime, he established an atelier system where he trained artists to paint in his style, and the tradition is continued today through the commercial licensing and publishing company Thomas Kinkade Studios. While millions appreciate Kinkade's work for its rural, majestic oil painting, The Kinkade Family Foundation sees him as a brilliant, complicated, and multi-faceted artist. Following his death, Kinkade's family, the custodians of his art, uncovered thousands of undiscovered works filled with imagery and creativity that are much different and often darker than the works he is best known for creating. He was a father, a visionary, and, at his core, an incredibly talented artist who struggled with the demons challenging one's self-care, which led to his death by overdose in 2012 at the age of 54.
Thomas Kinkade established the Thomas Kinkade Charitable Trust while he was alive to continue his art legacy once he passed. After Kinkade’s passing, his family established The Kinkade Family Foundation to honor his legacy by investing in a range of socially responsible initiatives, including creating therapeutic arts kits shared with those who can benefit from the creative expression of art. Additionally, The Kinkade Family Foundation promotes Kinkade’s art through exhibitions, loans, and research on Thomas Kinkade’s creative process.
Recently, The Kinkade Family Foundation supported the documentary on Thomas Kinkade's life, “Art For Everybody,” creating transparency about the life of the much-loved painter while exploring his career accomplishments alongside the demons driving him to alcoholism, scandal, and his untimely death.
Thomas Kinkade's family leads The Kinkade Family Foundation, established by Kinkade's wife Nanette, who serves as President, and his four children, with his daughters Merritt and Chandler serving as Co-Directors. The Foundation is located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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