Lynn Aldrich reviews “A Profound Weakness”

Lynn Aldrich reviewed Betty Spackman’s book, A Profound Weakness: Christians and Kitsch, in the most recent issue of Creative Spirit. I asked for Spackman’s book for Christmas, but instead received A Passion for the Impossible (which I’d also asked for). Hence, this is as much a teaser for myself as anything.

“We are not so much made to feel guilty as we are inspired to see better . . . “

“On the other hand, images can be so good that they are bad. Thomas Kinkade’s paintings fall into this category, rather too gently treated by Spakman who says she ‘has no reason to doubt the artist’s sincerity.’ Kinkade’s original workds and all the reproduction and miniatures he produces as their prolific offspring are promoted in a high-volume shopping galleria near you . . . His ‘sweetness and light’ renderings have all the ingredients of good paintings — luminous paint handling, luscious colors, carefully rendered flowers, cottages and lighthouses, well-learned art techniques to show off skies and cloud forms — but the accumulation of all this goodness collapses into a lie, a fake world that is ultimately as lacking in mind and soul nourishment as a diet of sugar cubes.”

“Some Catholics tend toward dressing up baby Jesus dolls or an over-fascination with obscure relics or finding Mary’s image in a piece of burned toast. Protestants tend more toward sloganeering and sappy phrases, quick to be enticed by advertising promotional schemes and often copying secular success with a ‘Christian’ verion (such as plastic Jesus action figures). What we share is faith that is profound — and weakness in our ability to express it that is universal.”