Pacific Nocturne by Thomas Kinkade ~ Archive Collection II, Published December, 2004 - I first developed my techniques for recreating the dazzling drama of natural light with works such as Pacific Nocturne, an early, rarely seen epic painting. On the occasion of my second wedding anniversary, Nanette and I re-visited our honeymoon hideaway at the coastal town of Mendocino, California, and there I gained the inspiration for capturing the glow of evening over the gently rolling surf.

In my painting, the sky is a peacock's tail of mauves, purples, and blues, as clouds of varying density filter the radiant setting sun. Sea foam bursts in an explosion of brilliant light against the massive coastal rock. The luminous translucence of the aqua wave shimmers with an internal fire. Sand gleams golden through the thin liquid skin of the receding surf.

In Pacific Nocturne I created one of my largest and most important early attempts to evoke emotion through landscape. Here, truly, is a romantic setting. The glow of moonlight symbolizing the glow of a loving heart suffuses the scene with its gentle radiance. The benign beauty of God's creation fills the eye and heart of all who love the splendor of creation. For many years, Pacific Nocturne hung in my own home as a private treasure - a personal memory of my early years of marriage. Now, for the first time, I share it with my collectors. - Thomas Kinkade

Key Points

1. Pacific Nocturne is the first in the newly opened Archive Collection II, an exquisite compilation of some of Thomas Kinkade’s early works of art depicting his passion for a simpler, more spiritual, more beautiful life.

2. The coastline depicted in Pacific Nocturne is based on the Northern California area of Mendocino, the location of Thom and Nanette’s honeymoon.

3. In these early paintings that comprise the Archive Collection II, Thomas Kinkade began to probe the secrets of pigment, color, and luminous lighting; to learn what it means to be a Painter of Light.

4. The original painting of Pacific Nocturne was part of the treasured Kinkade family collection, and hung in the Kinkade home for many years.