50 years ago, on March 19, 1957, Elvis paid his $1000 deposit to buy Graceland. On Friday March 23, 2007 Thomas Kinkade's commemorative painting of Elvis’ mansion will be unveiled at 10am on the Graceland front lawn, with Priscilla Presley in attendance.
Tickets for the unveiling are priced at $250.
Artist Thomas Kinkade visited Graceland last September to work on the painting "Elvis Presley created rock and roll and changed music forever.” He told the press on his visit. “Graceland was his refuge from the demands of his fame. My hope is that I will capture on canvas a bit of the home that he loved so much."
Thomas Kinkade's Graceland Anniversary Painting Unveiled
March 23, 2007 | Other
Palle wrote on
March 23, 2007
Few weeks ago there was displayed another painting from Kinkade, here on Elvisnews, and I liked that better, but of course some will like this better. I'm just wondering where this painting will be displayed??
JerryNodak wrote on
March 23, 2007
I like the painting. As for the car being green: Perhaps the artist wishes to convey that Elvis has a visitor. Hince it's not the famous pink Caddy.
elvis14 wrote on
March 23, 2007
Thomas is a good painter, but this is BAD!! This is not Graceland! Does not look like the house we all know and love. Why is Priscilla in the picture? Should have Vernon & Gladys, pink caddie. He took out some trees, put flowers by the gate, the driveway is wrong. Will not buy this picture. What was he thinking? The other picture on Elvis.com looked a lot better. He said he will be doing a Christmas picture, sure hopes he sees what we all see. just my opinion.
everett001 wrote on
March 23, 2007
I'm sure Elvis would like it; whether Jerome does or not. Disneyland?
Dixieland Rock wrote on
March 23, 2007
I think Kinkade did a great job. The lighting, shadowing and detail looks great. Good job.
JerryNodak wrote on
March 24, 2007
Is this the official finished painting?? I'm not sure. There's a different framed painting shown with the story on elvisinfonet.com. Check it out. The accompanying story answers some of the concerns raised by some posters here.
Anton wrote on
March 24, 2007
Dave and Jerome are right: it is beginning to start like Disneyland and frankly, the Caddy should be rose-coloured and Cilla or LMarie should NOT be in the picture. But EP folks, let's not forget the main thing here: we don't care if the painting is great or not (anyway only a handful of 450 thousand die-hard fans would be able to buy it for 250 bucks). All we NEED and want for years now is something else.. unreleased CD and DVD materials. EPE Mgmt should be much more concerned about releasing the EonTour 4CD Box with DVD of the 12 concerts, a Triple TTWII CD Box with DVD of the Vegas shows filmed for TTWII, plus give us the remaining studio outtakes of PromLand, GMan and BLove....plus the movie outtakes of the great unreleased gems of GGGirls, Roust, KCousins, Speedway, ECEGo, CofH a.o. like complete KCreole, Blue Hawaii (bootleg stuff is remarkably great!) and GI Blues. Why not buy the material in hands of the bootleggers, who cares how much it costs. BMG passes it on anyhow to the (they think "stupid" )fans who buy everything anyway. But soon they'll run out of loyal die hared 450 thousand consumers that buy this stuff as the youngsters won't buy it....for sure.
Mystery Rider wrote on
March 24, 2007
this may not be it, but its a throwback to americana, it could have looked like this if the gates had been there when it was built around 1939... the caddy is just for effect. after what would the old Elvis be without a Caddy, that was the symbol of american wealth.
get real wrote on
March 25, 2007
ive been to Graceland a number of times, and to me, this painting does not represent it at all. Just something about it. Hmmm, i dont even like it as just a painting in general. But thats just me. Others will like it i guess.
PaulFromFrance wrote on
March 25, 2007
Painting, bad or good, is not to represent reality but to interpret it. If you want the real Graceland, there are thousands of pictures everywhere. No need to have a paint.
vinny wrote on
March 25, 2007
i have travelled many times from the uk to memphis, i have not been for a few years but this is not how i remember graceland at all. shame as i was looking forward to the painting but hey you cant have it all
ImThCat wrote on
March 27, 2007
Kinkade's nickname should be changed from "Painter of Light" to "Painter of Crap." That is just hideous.
chrisc wrote on
March 29, 2007
Another example of Priscilla trying to hang on for dear life to the publicity provided by a short marriage that ended nearly 34 years ago! Of course it should be Elvis and his parents in the picture.
drpepper wrote on
April 14, 2007
wow, my two most famous and popular people...Thomas Kinkade and Elvis..could not get any better than this...I will forsure buy this painting, it can go in my livingroom along with the one of Disneyland. If I lived close I would have gone to see the unveiling...