Book excerpt: The wide appeal of McKnight's world is explained in part by its mixture of wild beauty and domestic luxury. His idyllic islands in the sun invariably include aspects of the developed culture he considers indispensable. McKnight's paradise has the best of everything -- what better definition of heaven can there be? Clearly and strongly, his beautiful images of places near and far appeal to our senses -- his lush but subtle color, his charming and elegant compositions, his skillful rendering of form -- these qualities we admire and enjoy in the works of master artists of all time. Thomas McKnight's work is in the collections of major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and millions of his paintings and silk-screen prints have sold through galleries and print stores across the nation. McKnight, who has devoted his time exclusively to art since 1972, is best known for his pictures of serene and beautiful rooms. These inviting, jewel-toned spaces have large windows or archways overlooking equally attractive outdoors scenes both local (Boston Public Garden or Manhattan Penthouse) and exotic (Venice, Parts, or the Greek isles).