Notre-Dame de Paris is the world’s most famous Gothic cathedral from the Middle Ages. Built on an island in the river Seine, in the historical section of Paris, Notre Dame sits upon the ruins of two earlier churches. Its foundation stone was laid in 1163 by Pope Alexander III, and the high altar was consecrated in 1189 but it took another two centuries to complete the cathedral.

Notre Dame suffered from damage and deterioration through the centuries, but it was during renovations in 2019 that a fire broke out in the attic, and destroyed most of the roof, Viollet-le-Duc’s 19th-century spire, and some of the rib vaulting. France and the world came together to restore Notre-Dame de Paris to its original brilliant state. Thomas Kinkade Studios invites you to travel to Paris in late 2024 for the grand reopening of Notre Dame.

The dappled morning sunlight casts a serene glow over the chapel and nearby homes. The stillness in the air is broken by the sounds of birds at the birdfeeder built by the children who attend the Sunday School. A melodic psalm can be heard from inside the chapel as the nearby bunnies enjoy a munch in the growing grass.

Thomas Kinkade loved to capture small town life by putting paint to canvas. Even as a young man he would come to believe in an idyllic world where love, hope and family came first. Thom always carried a small notebook, and a stub of a pencil, that he would use to sketch the scenes he came across. Over time, these travels and sketches would be the inspiration that would become the masterworks his collectors love. Inspired by a Thomas Kinkade original unfinished oil painting, Serenity Chapel by Thomas Kinkade Studios evokes all the timeless elements he loved to reflect in his paintings.

The poet reminds us that “only God can make a tree.” On a recent hiking excursion to Hope Valley in the Sierra Mountains, I was struck once again by the glory of aspen trees, which bear such graceful witness to His great love. During autumn in the mountains, stands of aspen shimmer in the breeze like liquid gold. I say “liquid” because the delicate leaves rustle and flicker as they dance with the wind just as water does.

A wise minister of my acquaintance coined the word “gracelets” for the small blessings God bestows upon us. When I enjoy the golden dance of the aspen leaves, I know just what he meant. A grove of aspens high in the mountains would be an idyllic place for worship. I have imagined just such a church in The Aspen Chapel. Built of weathered stone and white washed planks, it has offered sanctuary for many seasons.

Ancient stone fences, made from rocks that line the streambed, keep the grazing cattle safe. Bunnies and chipmunks play among the sheltering trees, reminding us that The Aspen Chapel presides over a peaceful kingdom hidden away amongst the golden forests. I offer you the fond hope that in the enjoyment of The Aspen Chapel, we can share in the joy of one of God’s myriad “gracelets.”

“After all, men build buildings, but only God’s love can build a church” ~ Thomas Kinkade

Blossom Hill Church is the first painting in my Country Church Collection. I have a fondness for all country churches – they seem such as charming accent amidst rolling hills and flowering hedges. Though I’m particularly attached to Blossom Hill Church, since within its weathered walls my wife and I were wed!

At one time, the Kinkade family even lived less than five miles from this mall country church in Coloma, California – which you may recognize as the location where the first discovery of gold was in California.

Blossom Hill Church is being released ten years after Nanette and I first said “I do;” and on the sign near the church reads “Rev. Merritt-Chandler” after our oldest daughter Merritt. I painted this scene in the early dusk so that evening worshippers could attend a nightly service in this picturesque garden chapel.

Rumors have it that the real parishioners want to re-create the garden to look exactly like the way I have painted Blossom Hill Church in this composition.

“A crumbling bridge, this Bridge of Faith, and often without strength.

But look below, and then you’ll know, the Rock that lies beneath” ~ Thomas Kinkade

For me, the world is enriched by images of faith. In the Garden of Promise Collection, I look deep into myself for those moments of revelation, of joyous acceptance, that comprise our common spiritual experience. Then I look out into the world to find visual images that reflect the truths of my walk with God. Bridge of Faith speaks to those moments of tribulation, when we reach the end of our rope and know that our personal resources won’t see us through the crisis. At such times, I rely on my faith and find that God truly is my shield and salvation.

As the Painter of Light, is has been my personal goal that each of my paintings become a tool to communicate a message that represents hope, joy, peace, and tranquility. The Bridge of Faith is old and worn, but it is built of stone and it rests on a massive, unshakable rock. It crosses a stream fragrant with flowers; on our side the world is shrouded in shadow, but in the distance there shines a heavenly light. Here I hope to convey the sense of how marvelous nature can be, when the radiant light of God casts its warm glow – His “Heavenly Light” –  how crossing one worn stone bridge can transport us from darkness to God’s radiant light that lies ahead.

I believe that the cross of Jesus was made from dogwood, and so I symbolize God’s love for us in the pink dogwood tree and symbolize God’s hope and promise of Heaven in the white dogwood tree found in Bridge of Faith. The bridge leads us across a stream of living water and from darkness to light with a shaky handrail to guide, but you will find it is a very sturdy bridge if you keep your eyes on “God’s Heavenly Light,” as it will lead you around the bend and all the way back Home.

My Bridges of Inspiration Collection celebrates what I like to think of as God’s divine plan for provision. Each of us in our daily life, reach obstacles and chasms that can only be bridged by God’s miraculous love. In an earlier series, I created a painting entitled Bridge of Faith, and the popularity of this painting inspired me to speculate further on the nature of bridges.

A bridge is symbolic to me as an artist, since it suggests a transition point from one area of life to another. Bridges provide safe transport over impassable conditions, and are changeless in the midst of the changing seasons. In the Bridges of Inspiration series, I envisioned creating paintings that allegorically address such complex issues of human experience as hope, love, and personal peace. In the first painting of the series, I strove to portray an image of solidarity in the context of the delicacy of nature.

The Bridge of Hope is as stable as the massive granite flagstones that form its arch and will stand for as long as the quicksilver brook rolls down from the hills beneath it. Topped by antique alabaster cornices and graced by lavish vining flowers, the stone structure reminds us that hope is at once as solid as rock and as subtle as the fragrance of blossoms on the breeze.

A magnificent white dogwood, the symbol of the purity of God’s grace, shades the bridge. Its over-arching boughs remind us that, while we stand on the Bridge of Hope, we are enshrouded by the loving embrace of our creator.

Through every generation, for the love of family, friends and community, men and women have answered the “call to serve” each of us by protecting and preserving our great freedoms. These brave men and women of law enforcement, have helped to build our country and to preserve the “American Dream” that our founding fathers envisioned.

These heroes are ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances and endeavoring to act with courage, honor, self-sacrifice and love. In the simple performance of duty, they answer the call to help the helpless and to find the lost, no matter how grave the danger or how great the cost. We are proud to present Called to Serve in recognition and appreciation of those who have answered the “call to serve.”

Thomas Kinkade was inspired to paint beautiful chapels in stunning natural settings. As he created each one, he sought the presence of God in His lakes, forests, hills and valleys. It was Thom’s prayer that we all would find Him together.

Thomas Kinkade Studios is pleased to present Chapel of Reflection. Carrying on in Thom’s tradition, the Studios created this artwork, portraying a church set in a gorgeous fall landscape to illustrate the hope and beauty that we find in God’s natural presence. The afternoon light casts a soft glow in the sky, as the forest is set alight in autumnal colors. The chapel’s reflection is mirrored in the gentle movement of the water. This painting reminds us that no matter how dark the night, the day will dawn, renewing nature’s tender mercies and rewarding the hopes of the faithful.

I love the Christmas Eve services and the traditions that go along with them. In our church, it means lighting candles and passing them symbolically from one person to another. As I envisioned this tradition on canvas, I began to imagine that in an ideal world the Christmas Eve service would happen in a country chapel along a snowy wooded lane. The crisp night air is filled with silent snowflakes as a classic one-horse sleigh jingles through the frosty scene. Footsteps in the snow lead to the chapel door, suggesting that the church is filled with merry worshippers. The chapel is brightly lit against the darkening forest and a blazing cross atop the log steeple reminds us of the spiritual significance of the season.

I envision this painting as the first in a series of three Christmas Chapels, each taking their inspiration from a classic Christmas carol. My prayer is that this series will give each of us a chance to rekindle the simple joys of the Christmas season.

“Pause in your travels ye wayfarer, and celebrate the Lord in the beauty of His creation”

That is the invitation Carmel’s Church of the Wayfarer has offered the countless visitors who have come to this tourist haven in the century since its construction in 1904. Who knows the thousands of celebrations of joy and sorrow that have been held within these walls – the weddings, the baptisms, the memorial services that accompany the beginning and the end of life?

I set up my easel to paint the grand old chapel in the glorious light of an autumn morning. The radiance seemed to kiss the shadows away from the whitewashed walls. Monterey pine trees form a festive garland surrounding the church’s craftsman style cupola and steeple.

The church is framed by the famous Biblical Garden on its left – which showcases many plants from the Holy Land – and the equally famed Cottage restaurant where my family feasted as I worked.

My Church of the Wayfarer celebrates one hundred years of a grand California tradition. If your own travels bring you to the Pacific coast sometime, perhaps you too will pause and celebrate the beauty of this enchanting landmark.