Thomas Kinkade's paintings can be found in the many galleries bearing his name, adorning the walls of thousands of homes, and now on the cover of Cape Light, Kinkade's first novel, co-authored by Katherine Spencer. In an interview with Crosswalk.com Arts & Culture Editor Christian Hamaker, Kinkade discusses his views on family, education, modern literature, and the perils of modern art.

Crosswalk.com: Thanks for taking some time to talk with us again. You've done some work with Crosswalk.com before.

Thomas Kinkade: Yes, I have. In fact, I'm very excited about the ministry of Crosswalk.com. It just creates an awareness in people that they can seek God's light in their lives in very simple ways. Don't forget that for most people, darkness is the substance of every day.

The media just surrounds us with the hopelessness and despair of our world, and light is as simple as reading a good word in the morning.

Crosswalk.com: Do you log on regularly or receive any of our e-mail newsletters?

Thomas Kinkade: No, I don't, because I live a retro life. I'm kind of a rebel against the materialist electronic culture. I believe in the efficacy of media as a tool for the Gospel and for communicating broadly, but I don't participate in it on a personal level. I don't have a television in my home, and though we have Internet access for our kids, homework assignments and so forth, I don't participate.

I live in California, in a small town, carrying that retro theme further. We live not too far from the village square, and we love to walk into town. We spend time bike-riding with our kids every week. We're avid bicyclists. We have a habit of what we call simpler times lifestyle.

We're a big family of readers. Though we don't have electronic media in the home, we are very avid in our pursuit of literature, family conversation, and one of our biggest habits is prayer. We started something with our kids a while back that has been a lot of fun; we call it the dessert prayer.

If you're aware of most family dynamics, the time for prayer at mealtime is usually a quick, "Thank you God for this food, let's dig in." What we do is we pray a blessing before the meal, and then throughout the meal we'll discuss with the kids, "Hey, what's been going on in your day? Anything you'd like to pray about?" These are kids ranging from four to 14, so we have quite an age spread and quite a maturity differential there. And yet with them engaging in the process of thinking about their day, it generates prayer requests and praise reports.

After the meal is over, when the kids are no longer hungry and starved, we say, "Well, let's pray." For 10 minutes we'll bow our hearts. It's a wonderful time to circle together as a family, since we're all there at the table anyway, and get before God. It's sort of the prelude to our evening together.

We do a lot of family games. We let the kids pick their activity each night. We've carved out extra time by eliminating the compelling quality of mass media.

People will say to me, "Well I had some quality time with my kids last night," and I say, "Well, what, what did you do together?" "Well, we watched Friends." Or, "We tuned into that nature special on HBO." Well, the fact is, time in . . . front of a television, no matter how fulfilling or educational, is still not active quality family time. I believe that the media is a disruption to the normal course of the family environment, an aberration that is less than 100 years old.

Entertainments were a part of every culture, but they were a small part. With us, it's become the mainstream. I read a book recently called The Entertainment Culture, and we truly are a culture who has lost the ability to interact and converse, and replaced it with passive entertainment.

Crosswalk.com: You mentioned your kids. How many do you have?

Thomas Kinkade: Just four. That's proof that God is a God of abundance, because I have four daughters.

Crosswalk.com: How did you get into home schooling? How successful has it been?

Thomas Kinkade: We home schooled our two oldest daughters for two years. We home schooled our very oldest daughter in earlier years, and it's been a tremendous blessing to us. The necessity to work together in the child's education, parents working with children, is a tremendous resource for building understanding and communication. The anchoring of the identity of the home as being central to the child's life takes place in the home-schooling process. In other words, the kids truly feel that home is their center of operations, their base for them.

This emerges in home school more than any other process. After we did it for two years with both of them, we now have the kids in a Christian school, and we feel that the home-school experience was priceless in preparing them for that.

Crosswalk.com: Are all four kids in Christian school?

Thomas Kinkade: One is in preschool, one is . . . a first-grader, and then we have a fifth grader and an eighth grader. And yes, they are all in a Christian school.

Crosswalk.com: You mention that your family likes to read a lot. Who are some of the authors that you and the rest of your family admire?

Thomas Kinkade: I love C.S. Lewis. The Narnia series is a favorite for the children.

I read nineteenth century values-based books. For example, a book I'm reading right now with the children is entitled Stories of Grit.

The American heritage included a literature of inspiration that has largely been lost. Some of these stories may seem corny by today's standards, but the values are priceless. For example, Stories of Grit features the telling of the lives of people who overcome incredible adversity, for example, Josiah Wedgwood, the greatest potter who ever lived. You're familiar with Wedgwood china? He had a leg amputated and had a limp all his life before his leg was amputated, fought incredible physical challenges and yet became eminently successful, so much so that the King of England appointed him official china maker to the throne.

These stories are inspirational but remind us that God can be central in your life and can use your life powerfully. I also, on a personal basis, enjoy a diverse range of literature that I can actually read as I paint. Earlier generations of artists would employ readers that would read them literature as they worked on their paintings, especially academic painters such as myself who focus on a lot of intense detail.

There's a lot of drudgery and routine work that goes into completing a painting. Those times are perfect for literature. In my case, we have the advantage of tape-recorded books. I use those extensively in my studio.

Right now I'm reading a book by Bill Bryson called In a Sunburned Country. It's an analysis of the history and archaeology of Australia.

I read everything from crime literature to best-sellers to inspirational books. I'm quite diverse. And my particular fascination is with early twentieth century authors. I love that phase of modernist literature that began to emerge with Hemingway and Fitzgerald . . . and writers of that quality, who were wrestling with the America that was emerging in the twentieth century.

Crosswalk.com: That's interesting, because you seem to not have the same admiration for modern art.

Thomas Kinkade: I don't.

Crosswalk.com: I've read that you don't like modern art because it's all about the artist. It seems that a lot of literary critics would admire authors like Hemingway because of how he writes and who he was. Can you explain your admiration for the modern literature as opposed to your dislike of art from the same period?

Thomas Kinkade: Well, it is an interesting question because I do enjoy much of what would be considered modernist literature. I think the difference is, even with compellingly idiosyncratic authors like Hemingway, Fitzgerald or Faulkner, you still have a sense of engaging the reader and a sense of portraying strong emotion. In other words, there was still an attempt to communicate vividly a message in an understandable way. That is the basis of all craft, and all creative skill is the ability to control communication and to present a message in a compelling or insightful way.

Where modern art has lost its focus is [it's] carried that instinct to the next level, which involves a complete disregard for the viewer. There are little cues to understanding the message the artist would try to communicate. A frustration or detachment sets in wherein the participant in modern art feels little connection or little meaning to what they experience. It would be like a writer who typed randomly at the keyboard for twelve hours and said, "I've just created a great novel." It may be an interesting work of literature in some abstract way, but it certainly won't be a best-seller and certainly won't touch a lot of peoples' lives.

That's in essence what the language of art has been reduced to: artists with iconoclastic self-definition who create highly personal forms of expression that are often belligerently irrelevant to the average person.

Crosswalk.com: In what way would you say Cape Light compares with that early twentieth century modern literature or those Stories of Grit from previous centuries?

Thomas Kinkade: I would compare it to the second but not to the first. In the case of modernist literature, a lot of pessimism emerged. In one way that's satisfying to read because as a Christian, I can always say, "Gee, look what happens in life when someone doesn't know Jesus Christ." On the other hand, that's pretty dark.

In Cape Light, I would compare it favorably to the inspirational literature of the nineteenth century in that this is a book that can change lives, this is a book that presents a compelling story of the power of the individual to overcome adverse circumstances. Truly, this is escapist literature, but it's what I would refer to as inspirational escapist literature. In other words, you come away bettered having read the story.

Make no mistake: These are not perfect people. We did not present a Pollyanna vision of life. Though my paintings are highly idealistic and full of sentiment and emotion, we struck a tone in this book that I think balances heart realism with a sense of the romance of living.

Crosswalk.com: The book cover is your painting. What was your role beyond that in terms of writing with Katherine Spencer? How were the responsibilities shared?

Thomas Kinkade: It was a true collaboration. There's two approaches: on the one hand, when a creative person extends into new arenas, you can micromanage the process -- for example, a writer who has a book become a movie and sits on the set and critiques every shot; on the other hand, the writer can say, "Gee, I'm going to back away and let other creative people have fun with this process." Of the two approaches, I think the second is better, because any time your vision can be expanded by the mind of another, you have achieved something that is beyond your own creativity.

I like the process of working with co-authors; I've done it many times. In the case of this book, the process was very simple: Let's look at the paintings, let's imagine where you'd be standing in this painting and if you looked into the windows of these houses what would be going on, what kind of lives are here, what are the foundational dynamics that drive these characters' decisions. In the case of Cape Light, one interesting starting point was a book I created entitled Lightposts for Living. This book outlines 12 foundational life values that I think stem from the Christian faith, but are not limited to any one faith. They are foundational to all living human beings who want to make a difference in the world. Things such as selfless giving . . . things such as creativity, things such as community involvement; these foundational values became the guiding light, so of speak, in the lives of the characters of Cape Light.

Crosswalk.com: How many more volumes are planned for the Cape Light series?

Thomas Kinkade: So far, three are planned. The second one is almost done, and number three is being outlined. The process is fluid.

I've gotten on the phone with Katherine Spencer and kicked ideas around. I will look over the outline . . . and then hopefully the word-crafting stage. The dialogue and the descriptions in some way are a balance between the romantic and the real life. That's what we're shooting for.

Crosswalk.com: Early in the book you mention the character of the newspaper editor is described as "unbiased." So often the media is viewed as biased, especially by Christians. Why is this character different?

Thomas Kinkade: These are people who are probably making choices a little better than the average person does in real life. After all, this is a values-based book. Every character has a contribution to make to kind of creating a life view of the world the way it could be. Some of the people have a personal faith, some don't. There are conflicts and conflict resolution, but I think that the advent of a literature of not just escape, but of inspiration, is a very worthwhile thing.

So the challenge is, do we use this as a place for social commentary or do we use it as a place to inspire people with the alternative? I feel as a Christian that the media is often hostile to the Christian worldview. It's unfortunate, because many of the foundational values of the free world stem from concepts we find in the teachings of Christ, and yet there is a hostility toward the faith of our fathers and toward the faith of the Christian tradition. We need to change that hostility into a proactive sense of contribution that all of us in our own way want to make the world a better place.

Crosswalk.com: You're moving into publishing now. You already have your artwork, all the galleries, and there's a whole community of homes there in California based on your paintings. What areas of art or commerce or media do you still want to tackle?

Thomas Kinkade: I want to, ironically enough, engage mass media more directly. I do have a television show called The Painter of Light Show on QVC. It's primarily a selling vehicle, but I would like to tell stories through media into the culture in a more direct way. For example, we are currently negotiating a Thomas Kinkade Christmas special, though the talks are very preliminary.

It's obvious that the values of my paintings and the values of faith and family and home that I talk about are compelling to people and interesting to people. Now more than ever, people are turning back to family, to home, to faith, and these values can be interpreted in stories that bridge out of the paintings. So media will be a wonderful opportunity for us to expand.

I'm excited because paintings in themselves are an ideal starting place for all kinds of creative expression. After all, a painting is like a miniature world, and unlike other forms of creative expression, a painting is not limited by the element of time. A painting goes into the home and it's there for the rest of that person's life. It becomes a compelling part of the family; it becomes a part of the culture of the home. There's a love attachment between a person and a work of art, so I have this great body of love from people around the country and around the world that has little or nothing to do with me.

In fact, I look at my life every day and am amazed God could have even chosen to use me. I mean, after all, like Billy Graham said in his biography, the number one question you gotta ask in Heaven is "Why me? Why did I deserve to be called into the Kingdom? Why did I deserve to be allowed to take part in something so grand as touching another life with the Gospel?"

This dumbfounds me. I had no art background in my family. I grew up in a small town without any art resources. I came from an impoverished background with no business experience. And yet, despite all these shortcomings, my life has been used in some way that has meant little to do with me, but everything to do with God's grace and His love.

I think the next step for us as a company, an organization and a cultural mission is to continue to expand our relationship with other non-profit and Christian-based organizations that desire to make an impact on the world, and to help them in the process of carrying their message to the world through the vehicle of paintings. For example, with World Vision, we created a sponsorship program that was unbelievable. If you were to sponsor a child, you would receive a Thomas Kinkade painting, a very simple process, and tens of thousands of kids have been sponsored over the past few years through that simple program. We did the same thing with Salvation Army where we created a print to help them in their relief efforts, and over the course of a few months, millions of dollars were raised for their organization.

So making a difference in the world is what it's all about for me. I think when Christ told us to let our light shine, it was a very practical admonition. Light is the antidote to darkness, and it can be as simple as reaching out a hand of hope to another person.

Crosswalk.com: You've been very fairly outspoken about the kind of art you don't like, but who are some of your favorite artists?

Thomas Kinkade: My heroes are all the artists of idealistic and very inspired interpretation of nature. A German artist named Caspar David Friedrich influenced me early on because of his solemn almost reverent interpretations of nature as a reflection of God's love. Maxfield Parrish in the twentieth century created visionary images of an idealized world that were aggressively embraced by the American public, so much so that at one point one in four homes had a Maxfield Parrish on the wall. Norman Rockwell painted a vision of simplicity of values, of simpler living, of community spirit, of hometown life that inspired previous generations. Walt Disney as a cultural visionary brought to life dreams. . . . These are my heroes because they had a goal of creating worlds of wonder that inspired others.

People I respect least are people like Salvador Dali, who was quoted as saying, "The only thing important to me is me." I find the selfish attitude within the arts to be repugnant and to be counterproductive. Though art can become its own private universe where people create only for their own satisfaction, I think in some larger way that paradigm is flawed. Every other profession or culture or cultural contribution is measured in its ability to impact the world and better the human condition. The arts have somehow been allowed to be their own pool of chaos and despair.

I think the time for an idealistic inspired art for America is now. We need new artists of vision who create messages of hope, an iconography of meaning that can turn the tide, make the world a better place. It's as simple as this: If you meditate on chaos and despair, sooner or later you begin to see the world in that way. However, if you can envision in your heart light and hope, then maybe you can be a part of making a difference.

Crosswalk.com: I take it from that answer you aren't overly inspired by people that are better known for religious imagery in their paintings, or specifically paintings of Christ. You're more inspired by the works of people who paint community and inspirational landscapes, that sort of thing.

Thomas Kinkade: It's a broader net. I think there's a place for the Christian tradition within the arts, but many people wouldn't bring a Bible into their home or bring gospel music into their home, or bring a picture of Christ into their home. However, perhaps they would bring a light-filled garden that is resplendent with God's love and with His beauty. And somehow through the process of divine contact with that person's life, through the vehicle of painting, that person might be changed or touched.

Though this may sound outlandish, I am reminded of the Apostle Paul, who prayed for bits of cloth in the Book of Acts. And through the humble little kerchiefs and bits of clothing peoples' lives were touched, miraculous healings occurred, hearts were transformed.

So even something so humble as a painting can reach into the lives of the unchurched, unsaved masses and inspire them with a hunger for God. I feel this message should be broadly stated to other creative people. I would love to see a music of inspiration that grows into the mass channel and takes captive the hearts of those who have no interest in the gospel.

I was excited to be in Dallas with the musical group Creed recently, doing a fundraising event for Salvation Army at a Cowboys football game on Thanksgiving. Though I'm not familiar with much contemporary music, I was excited to hear that their album had reached the number one position on the Billboard charts. What a great testimony to Christ when creative people can break out of the box of the Christian subculture and really touch the world with Christ's light.