“Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.” – John Muir

Thomas Kinkade was an avid outdoorsman, and grew up in the foothills of Northern California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Throughout his life he would return to this magnificent mountain range to paint. He told me that he always kept scribbled notes and quickly drawn sketches around his studio that he would use for inspiration.

In 1989, Thomas Kinkade was inspired to paint Warming Up. If I could go back in time, it would be fascinating to have a conversation with Thom to learn exactly which hiking trip up the Sierra Nevada Mountains motivated him to paint this solitary backpacker seeking warmth from the campfire as the cold daylight wanes.

Written by: Denise Sanders, Thomas Kinkade Historian