Interesting Kinkade article...

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JayRay

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Hi,
I just thought I would share an Interesting article that was in the detroit news about how three Kinkade gallery owners are starting a lawsuit against Thomas Kinkade for flooding the market and undercutting the prices that the galleries are not allowed to change. It certainly is an interesting read.
http://www.detnews.com/2003/business/0304/06/b01-128825.htm

Thanks, Jason
 
Hi, Jason

Thanks for the interesting link. I have done framing for one of Kinkade's lawyers in the past (in Baltimore, MD). That experience, in and of itself, revealed a great deal to me about the Kinkade 'phenomenon'. (It was NOT an "I love framing!" moment.)

Today, I had to prep a Kinkade... my boss's husband was in the shop, and I couldn't help myself... I showed him the "certificate of authenticity" document (suitable for framing in and of itself lol) and began my diatribe: "This is not a 'print'. It is a reproduction. It is signed not only on the original painting, it is also signed in the plate. BAD FORM... this thing belongs in Wal-Mart..." (Please excuse me, any who are insulted here; I am a print purist and will probably become extinct before too long...)

I am glad I was not the person to help the customer; it would have been difficult for me to share and/or encourage the customer's enthusiasm over their "investment piece." The best thing I can say about the item being framed was that it was shipped in very impressive packaging. Kind of.

Anyway. Being close to the Mall of America, the lawsuit article is relevent to galleries in the area, and thanks again.

Lauralisa
 
I used to be a Kinkade dealer until Sir Thomas' publisher pulled all of the small dealerships and created their "premier" dealerships. Exclusive dealerships that went first to Sir "Ts" relatives and then to volume dealers. I still frame a lot of Kinkades but am not interested in selling his art, home decorations, plates or anything else that he is pushing at the moment. I had some questions regarding several prints they sent me that I had not ordered at one time and was told to buzz off and keep the prints that I had but not to bother them again. They gave me the prints in question, no charge. Still left with bad taste in my mouth. I framed the prints and gave them to my daughter.

Jack Cee
 
We were also a Kinkade dealer until they put a Kinkade gallery across the street. I'm sure they follow where there business goes and put a up gallery right next door. Which is gratitude toward the galleries that make them money I guess.
 
This is quite interesting. When I bought my gallery, it was selling Kincaid paper prints. When I got the inventory down to manageable, I tried to order only to find out that I was no longer a dealer. hmmmmmmmmmm It wasn't too long before I had a Kincaid gallery right across the street from me. They tried to go in right next door to me, but it didn't happen.

I then had them send the paperwork to renew my dealership. It was several pages long of all the things I could not do and I must do. One thing I remember was I would have to purchase a qty of 3 of all new releases. That doesn't sound too bad until you realize that all new releases may include the same print in 3 or 4 sizes. Suddently, 3 becomes 9 to 12. At the very end of the contract, it states that this is not a franchise. My employee (who had once owned a francise) told me it sounded like a frachise to her. It gave them too many benefits and hardly room for me to breath.
 
What I want to know is this, why? Why would anybody want to contribute to the support of this personglomerate? I mean who really believes their is a perceptable value to this dreck other than the paper its printed on? Anybody that entitles or better yet self annoints himself as the "painter of light" is nothing more than just a pompous boaster and obviously not interested in the small dealer who may sell somebody elses reproductions or heaven forbid a real painting or print, thereby taking dollars out of the fists of the "painter of light". What other reason would they have for opening a gallery next door or down the street from mom and pop after mom and pop have done most of the tough,arduous work for them?
 
As they say donw here in the South: "ain't got no dog in this fight"

BUT, check out his resale values in places like Art Expediter. Most are selling for way more than their original published price.

Not defending, or slamming but making an observation only :rolleyes:
 
The article mentioned a practice that may have
unintended consequences. If a print that has been
done in printing ink is given highlights of paint
and the ink and paint do not have the same degree
of lightfastness, the highlighting may become
more evident over time if it and the inks fade,
differentially.

Hugh
 
This style of marketing/merchandising is very cyclical. The public begins to see the art as a commodity or security, the publisher makes as many sales as they can before the bottom falls out (I have a client that purchased a bunch of LE offsets by a well know "camoflage artist". Several years later they tried to use them as collateral on a loan, honest). The buyer is stuck with a piece of paper, and the seller laughs all the way to the bank. It is injurious to the art industry when things like that happen, but pain has a short memory and someone does it again not very far down the road. The few pieces of any work that stay in pristine condition over an extended time will naturally have a greater value because of their scarcity. Hugh makes a valid point about the technical aspect of Kinkade's work that mirrors the marketing strategy. Neither one indicates that they are in it for the long haul.
You gotta admire the results though. An otherwise mediocre artist hits upon one of the best "branding" schemes ever and rockets to be the most highly paid artist in the country. It got so big, so fast and there is so much money involved that it would take a miracle to keep it squeeky clean. Like it or not, a bunch of framers made a bunch of money framing that stuff as well.
Suggested reading: Salvidor Dali and Other Great Deceptions.
 
Originally posted by wpfay:
(I have a client that purchased a bunch of LE offsets by a well know "camoflage artist".
Click to expand...
Wally, Bev Doolittle? Or as I like to call her "The Where's Waldo of the Art World". Her LE's go into the tens of thousands. Who in their right mind would consider that an LE? I am happy to frame them though, I ain't complaining.
 
I just have to add one more thing.

I was in Hobby Lobby today. Guess what they are selling framed? Yup!!! Sir Thomas. 24x30 and larger for about $250.00.

Yes, we have made some good money off those prints in the framing. I am still happy to frame them. However, the value has to be decreasing fast.
 
Hey. It's just like any other trend. Get in early, get out early. This works for stocks, artwork, any craft, even fashion. There is actually a Life Cycle (studied it in Marketing class) First the item is carried by very upscale places, then you see it in moderately priced places and eventually it ends up at Walmart. An old example is mood rings and a newer example is Beanie Babies. Kinkade is only following a well-documented path. Now, if only we could tell which are going to be the next thing...
 
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