"Mickey and Minnie in the Outback"

In the Passport to Adventure series by Thomas Kinkade Studios Disney’s Mickey, and Minnie, along with some of their closest friends, explore famous travel destinations around the world. This time Mickey and friends find themselves on an off-road adventure in the Australian Outback, surrounded by a crop of Aussie wildlife.

While exploring the outback, Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto spot one of Australia’s rarest creatures, the bilby; along with the unofficial mascot of Australia the koala bear. On the other side of the stream, Goofy is on the hunt for the sacred Ayers Rock but he just can’t seem to spot it. Donald Duck on the other hand, is nervously on the lookout after he thought he spotted a crocodile in the stream.
Key Points

• Mickey and friends are dressed to impress in their classic outback safari attire, complete with matching hats and boots.
• Ulura (Ayers Rock), Australia’s rock of ages is the most visited tourist site in Australia. It is renowned world-wide for appearing to glow red at dawn and sunset.
• Can you spot the Aboriginal rock art depicting Australia’s famous boomerang?
• There’s something about experiencing kangaroos in the wild that is truly captivating. Whether it’s their awkward stances, inquisitive looks, or the way they appear to effortlessly bound through the air, kangaroos are a constant source of fascination and entertainment.
• Bilbies look like kangaroos but instead of hoping they lope along the landscape.
• The 4×4’s license plate reads 1958, the year Thomas Kinkade was born.

About the Painter of Light

In the very beginning of his artistic career, Thomas Kinkade put his entire life savings into the printing of his first lithograph. Though at the time he was already an acclaimed illustrator, Thom found that he was inspired not by fame and fortune, but by the simple act of painting straight from the heart, putting on canvas the natural wonders and images that moved him most. It was this dedication and singular-minded focus on the ultimate goal of Sharing the Light™ that made Thomas Kinkade, a simple boy with a brush from the small country town of Placerville, California the most-collected living artist of his time.

Throughout his life Thomas Kinkade shared his joy and used his paints in support of hospitals, schools, and humanitarian relief. Though the recipient of countless awards and honors, it was Thom’s profound sense of purpose that his art was not just an accessory, but also a ministry, that continues on as his legacy. From custom images that were sold for The Salvation Army, Hurricane Katrina relief, Rotary International, to donations that now grace the halls of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the White House, The Vatican, and Britain’s Tate Museum, Thom raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over his lifetime for charity.

Thomas Kinkade the artist was also a devout and loving family man. It was this devotion for his family that inspired him to add symbols of his love to his artwork. Numerous paintings contain hidden “N’s” representing Thom’s lovely wife Nanette and many other paintings include the numbers 5282 as tribute to their wedding date May 2, 1982. Thom’s four daughters were also included in his artistic process- after the birth of each of his daughters, Thom painted adoring images in each of their namesake; Evening at Merritt’s Cottage, Chandler’s Cottage, Winsor Manor and Everett’s Cottage.

Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light™, emphasized simple pleasures and inspirational messages through his art – and the branded products created from that art. From textiles, to collectibles, to music and books, Thom gave credit to a higher power for both the ability and the inspiration to create his paintings. His goal as an artist, who was Christian, was to touch people of all faiths, to bring peace and joy into their lives through the images he had created.

Thom’s dearest wish had always been that his artwork would be a messenger of hope and inspiration to others – a message to slow down, appreciate the little details in life, and to look for beauty in the world around us. As millions of collectors around the world sit back and enjoy his artwork in their homes, there is no doubt that Thomas Kinkade had indeed achieved his goal of Sharing the Light.