Are critics wrong about Thomas Kinkade?

[Whatevermancer]

Do you agree with the point of this image? Are art critics just pretentious snobs for believing that paintings that cause positive emotions in the common man are bad art?
Or do you agree with the critics that yes, in fact, plebs do have bad taste and Kinkade was a sellout for pandering to them?

 

[Broadside]

I'll take critics of him seriously when they can criticise his work without using the word "kitsch". Not a fan of him but it seems a lot of the criticism is just barely concealed seethe that the guy is a devoted Republican.

 

[Chicha Drinker]

Imo something can be pandering but still be good quality. That's like going to a diner, getting mac and cheese, and telling the cook "erm can you get me something less pandering please?"

I will say sometimes he takes it too far like this fkn thing which crosses the line from art to where's waldo in terms of unrelated business

Also calling himself the "master of light" is pretty fucking corny.

 

[Tablet County]

I don't know much about art. But I know what I like, and I don't like that.