Art Notes

“I am enchanted with the idea of a romantic hideaway surrounded by blossoming flowers.”

~ Thomas Kinkade

Love is private, comfortable, comforting, and a cherished space created by small, tender gestures of affection. At once intimate and expansive, private and open, the quaint architecture of a romantic cottage creates the image of the dual nature of love.

Sweetheart Retreat was created with these beautiful thoughts in mind. As Thomas Kinkade did throughout his career, and in most of his paintings, Thomas Kinkade Studios has hidden romantic tributes to our mentor and founder. The brilliant setting sun glistens off the cascading stream bringing the gift of water to the garden, nourishing the vibrant blossoming flowers, as does divine love sustains and supports a loving heart. The graceful curves of the swans’ necks mimic the hidden hearts playfully placed throughout the painting.

Thomas Kinkade Studios presents Sweetheart Retreat as an idyllic place for all lovers to retreat and renew their special connection.

Key Points

• Sweetheart Retreat is the first painting in Thomas Kinkade Studios’ Sweetheart Retreat series, a collection of romantic backdrops that celebrate love.
• In the tradition of Thomas Kinkade, the Thomas Kinkade Studios artists have hidden hearts throughout this masterwork. How many can you find?
• Hallmarks of a classic Thomas Kinkade Studios cottage scene featured in this painting include a life-giving stream, a picturesque garden, and a cobblestone bridge that symbolizes the joining of two lives.
• The theme of love is also portrayed using wildlife, including a pair of swans and a family of deer.
• The Studio artists paid tribute to our founder, Thomas Kinkade, by including five light posts throughout this painting, an iconic fixture in many of Thom’s images that signified his mission of providing light and hope to the world through his art. Can you find the light post sign inscribed with “214”, something Thom included in some of his previous sweetheart-themed works?

Edition Features

Here is the E/E sketch for Sweetheart Retreat.

• Textured Brushstroke Process
• Additional Highlighting
• Small Edition Size
• Authorized Signature In Silver
• Unique Hand-Drawn Sketch On The Back Of The Canvas