Artist, teacher, student, feminist, socially conscious, lover of nature, and addicted to Nutella. These are just a few ways to describe the colorful Winsor. Winsor is 21 years old, the 3rd daughter of Thomas and Nanette Kinkade, and it is often mentioned that she inherited her father’s talent, but she’ll be the first to tell you that we are ALL artists in our own way. Winsor’s role with The Kinkade Family Foundation is Program Coordinator and Artist. We give Winsor credit for our Foundation’s partnership with Generación in Lima, Peru because of an immersion trip she went on to Generación with the University of San Francisco in early 2015.
Winsor was so moved by the powerful work Generación does that we decided to host an art camp for the community in December 2015. Through our continued relationship and Winsor’s art, our Foundation is able to provide ongoing support to Generación and we have seen the incredible impact art is bringing to their community. Winsor will be returning this December to lead another community art camp.
Winsor is a magical person to be around with an infectious laugh and a generous smile; she will leave you feeling inspired. Now on to the good stuff: read on for a candid interview with Miss Winsor Kinkade.
Tell us one of your favorite childhood memories with your Dad.
On Sunday mornings, my dad had a special routine that he shared with my sisters and I. One of us four girls would get to ride on the back of his Harley Davidson motorcycle into town to pick up bagels or, even better, donuts. I loved those mornings, holding onto his flannel shirt with a giant helmet bobbing on my head. My dangling feet hardly touched the foot pedals. This memory is an especially sweet one, and if I’m being honest, it’s because I felt like we were the coolest duo in town while on that Harley.
Have you always felt like you were an artist?
Yes, when I was young, I would pour over “how to draw” books, and in class my notebooks were filled with drawings of horses or flowers. It was my special hobby, my outlet that I felt like I was good at. I entered a schoolwide art contest when I was in 4th grade. When they announced that I had won the contest, I felt like my special hobby was recognized as being of value and something that others enjoyed. From that day on, not only did I feel like an artist, but I was seen by others as an artist.
What influence did your Father have on your style/technique?
My father’s work is teeming with detail, each stroke having intention. When I watched my dad work at his easel, I could see that each brushstroke was placed with calculation and purpose. He would often place me on his lap and have me paint a few leaves on the trees or petals on the flowers. “Each stroke counts,” he’d say. I’ve taken that advice into my work, and it has influenced me to recognize that every stroke, every line, every detail makes a difference.
What did he [Thomas Kinkade] teach you about art and his perspective/philosophy on creating?
I often describe my dad as being a walking encyclopedia. It seemed that he could read a book once and hold that information forever. While he was a painter by profession, he was also an avid learner and storyteller. Every day, he would share some sort of new trivia that he had read or he had a new artist to show us. He taught me that we are constantly growing and learning. He was a master of art, yet he approached his craft as if he was still a student, and that is a philosophy that I will always take with me.
How has your art evolved over the years?
I’ve grown to accept my art over the years. I used to stifle my creativity, in fear that it wouldn’t be appropriate or “good enough.” I’ve learned to create unapologetically, and it has allowed for so much growth artistically and personally.
What inspires you to create?
Everything! I create when I feel something, and everything makes me feel something. I realize this sounds cliché, but I find inspiration everywhere I go, whether it's watching the waves at the beach, feeling humbled by mountains, or riding the Muni bus in San Francisco. However, I feel most inspired to create when I am in nature. Being surrounded by natural beauty and the vastness of our world inspires me like nothing else.
What is your own personal philosophy on art/creating?
An art professor of mine at University of San Francisco once told me, “Good art makes us feel things.” I believe this to be incredibly true. Good art--whatever that means--makes us feel hope, fear, anger, distress, tranquility. Creating art is important for our own personal growth, and it gives us a place to feel something. I find this to be my own philosophy on creating: to create art that makes us feel things.
What is your role with The Kinkade Family Foundation?
My “official” role with KFF is Artist and Program Coordinator. This means that I work solely on designing art programs that offer education, creativity, and an overall excitement for what art can offer the world. I have created a program in Lima, Peru, and I am excited to be currently working in Santiago, Chile as an art teacher in a program that I created for an underserved community. In addition to developing art programs, I also continue to create my own art.
How do you see art impacting our children, people, our world?
Art reflects life. It tells stories, shares our feelings, and stirs the imagination. It allows us to practice self acceptance and honor the fact that we make mistakes. Our lives can be messy, but we can still find beauty in the mess. Art brings freedom to places where there is a lack of expression or social inequality. It allows us to make a difference, however small, in the reality of our world. I see art as having one of the largest impacts to our personal growth, our social connection, and our understanding for social issues. It can change the way we think. It is so critical for children and adults who live in vulnerable situations to feel that they can make the world their own, rather than inheriting a future of poverty, abuse, and hopelessness. Art offers a voice to the Other, the ones living in the margins of our world. In our daily lives, no matter what issues we face, art gives us a way of saying, “This is happening. This is real, and this is important.”
How do you hope to help others with your own art?
I hope to give others the opportunity to fall in love with art. There’s nothing better than feeling like you can create something that you’re proud of. In my work, I hope to foster dialogue, to expose problems that are often hidden away in the dark. I want to shed light on important ideas and problems that are often silenced. I hope to offer solidarity in my work, and to promote ideas of peace, reconciliation, and understanding.
