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There is a wonderful hideaway I visit only in my art, bathed in a silvery light, ablaze with flowers of every hue and description, silent save for murmur of gently rushing waters. Beside Still Waters is my vision of what the Garden of Eden must have been like. As a Christian, I speculate on the mystery and wonder of God's creation, when nature was perfect, unspoiled. As an artist, I try to convey my own wonder at the richness and variety I still find in the natural world.

In the very beginning of his artistic career, Thomas Kinkade put his entire life savings into the printing of his first lithograph. Though at the time he was already an acclaimed illustrator, Thom found that he was inspired not by fame and fortune, but by the simple act of painting straight from the heart, putting on canvas the natural wonders and images that moved him most. Throughout his life Thomas Kinkade shared his joy and used his paints in support of hospitals, schools, and humanitarian relief. Though the recipient of countless awards and honors, it was Thom’s profound sense of purpose that his art was not just an accessory, but also a ministry, that continues on as his legacy. From custom images that were sold for The Salvation...