World-renowned artist Thomas Kinkade has lived in Monte Sereno for 20 years and says he draws inspiration from the many historic homes and landmarks that populate both his home city and neighboring Los Gatos. To show his appreciation to the two communities, Kinkade is making a major donation to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation for its upcoming “Taste of Los Gatos” fundraiser.
Kinkade has produced two oil paintings, one of Los Gatos High School and another that shows a view of N. Santa Cruz Avenue, that have been reproduced as limited edition prints and will be sold at the fundraiser. The originals will be given to the police department and will hang in the visitors room at the operations center on Los Gatos Boulevard. “Why not use art in this way to make people feel more relaxed?” Kinkade said.
The artist will also auction off his talents to the highest bidder, offering to paint the winner’s home or a landmark building in town. Kinkade estimates that gift alone is worth $100,000.
“My hope is the serendipity of this process will bring to mind something I’ve never thought of painting before,” Kinkade said. “We have a strong tradition of arts in Los Gatos and this is a wonderful opportunity to connect that tradition with things you might not ordinarily think of.”
The Taste of Los Gatos fundraiser will be held Oct. 17 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Overlook Road estate, La Estancia. Tickets are $150 per person, but foundation president Jonathan Knowles suggests that buying a $500 foundation membership is cost-effective because it includes two tickets to Taste, as well as invitations to many other activities, such as a day at a shooting range firing machine guns that have been loaded with blanks.
There will also be a “mini” shooting range at the Taste of Los Gatos. “We set up a shooting range with training rounds so everybody can shoot handguns,” Knowles said. “We’ll also have Thor, the tactical rescue vehicle that looks like a tank. And we’ll have Berko the new police dog–he’ll be giving demonstrations.”
Berko was purchased with money donated by the police foundation. In addition, the foundation has funded a wide array of technology gizmos for the department, along with bullet-resistant vests and gym equipment for the operations center. “We also sponsor the cops and kids program at Fisher Middle School, showing kids that cops are people you should trust. It’s just to bring them a little bit closer together.”
The fundraiser itself will bring together 20 of Los Gatos’ finest restaurants, with wine provided by Muns, Silver Mountain and Black Ridge vineyards. The Los Gatos Brewing Company will supply premium beers.
But it is Kinkade who is expected to be the big draw at the Taste of Los Gatos. That’s just fine with the artist, who plans to open a gallery in town sometime next year. “My hope is these paintings of Los Gatos come to symbolize the core values of American small town living, because Los Gatos is a classic American small town,” Kinkade said. “My creative process depends on my absorbing the peacefulness of this town.”
Kinkade also noted that he has four children, and he feels they are safe when they walk to school. “We have an effective law enforcement agency,” he said.
In the past three years, the foundation has donated approximately $250,000 to the police department.
Tickets to Taste of Los Gatos can be purchased by calling 408.354.6840. More information about the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation is available at www.lgmspolicefoundation.org.
