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Subscribe to RSSPopular painter Thomas Kinkade died from natural causes Friday in his California home, his family said. NBC's Michelle Franzen reports.
One of the most popular artists in America, "Painter of Light" Thomas Kinkade, died Friday at his home in Los Gatos, Calif., his family said.
He was 54, and his family issued a statement that his death appeared to be from natural causes.
"Thom provided a wonderful life for his family,'' his wife, Nanette, said in a statement. "We are shocked and saddened by his death.''
His paintings are hanging in an estimated one out of every 20 homes in the United States, the San Jose Mercury News reported. Fans cite the warm, familiar feeling of mass-produced works of art while it has become fashionable for art critics to dismiss his pieces.
Kinkade lived with his wife and was the father of four girls, NBCBayArea.com reported.
"Thomas Kinkade, the celebrated 'Painter of Light' is one of the most widely collected and beloved artists of our day," Kinkade's website states. "Each year millions of people are drawn to the luminous light and tranquil mood of Kinkade's paintings and include his creations in their lives through prints, books, and other fine collectibles."
The University of California Berkeley graduate had a strong faith in God, which served as the foundation for his artwork.
"I try to create paintings that are a window for the imagination," Kinkade said on his website. "If people look at my work and are reminded of the way things once were or perhaps the way they could be, then I've done my job."
Kinkade's Media Arts Group took in $32 million per quarter from 4,500 dealers across the country 10 years ago, before going private in the middle of last decade, the Mercury News reported. Paintings are priced hundreds of dollars to more than $10,000.
His website also offers prints, mugs, nightlights and other home-decor items adorned with his paintings, which feature bridges, churches, cottages, Disney scenes, gazebos estates and the outdoors.
On Friday, the Mercury News reported that Kinkade's family was traveling to Australia and unavailable for further comment.
Bennett Raglin / WireImage
Artist Thomas Kinkade paints the 2007 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Nov. 30, 2007, in New York City.
In 2010, his production arm, Pacific Metro of Morgan Hill, Calif., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a day after a $1 million payment was due to former Kinkade gallery owners who won a judgment after claiming Kinkade used his Christian faith as a tool to fraudulently induce them to invest in his galleries, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time. From 1997 through May 2005, as galleries failed, Kinkade reaped more than $50 million from his prints and licensed product lines, according to testimony in the case cited by the Times.
In 2006, the Times reported that former Kinkade dealers told the newspaper that the FBI was looking into allegations that Kinkade and his top executives fraudulently induced investors to open galleries and then ruined them financially. The company, in a Sept. 1, 2006, statement called the allegations a "smear campaign."
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It's truly frightening how many people think this man was an artist. His work has nothing to do with art. 'Painter of Light'?! How about 'Painter of Schlock'. I'm surprised he didn't paint on black velvet (or did he?) Kinkade was just another creepy, self-deluded 'Christian' of limited talent chasing 'the almighty dollar'. Money was his motivation, clearly. His past comments denigrating Picasso would be laughable if they weren't so pathetic. Sorry Mr. Kinkade, Picasso will be remember by history, you, however, will not.
Pablo Picaso was an @!$%#.
Does anyone remember the “good old days” when a human being passed away and everyone stated their condolences? Instead, more than half the people posting on this issue only had nasty things to say. In my opinion, this blog clearly shows the deterioration of our culture. It shows that we, as human beings in general, are not evolving, but rather, many of us are devolving back to the “caveman” days. This realization sickens me, and frightens me as to where the human race is heading. For crying out loud people, try to show a tiny bit of respect.
My heart goes out to his family, and also to those who enjoyed his art. I would say he was talented because he was able to do something that I cannot. He inspired millions of people in a positive manner.
AMEN...is this a dose of the I, I, I and Me, me, me generation? Please show some compassion, we loved him.
If they're mass-produced, they're not art. I think he died from an extreme overdose of kitsch. To think that his entire "reputation" is based on the use of a few dabs of yellow paint....... How sad!
I'm not an artist so I've no bone to pick. The mans art was a sellout. Good for nothing more than christmas cards. A sure sign of no taste is one of his dollar store prints in your house.
However, 54 is very young so I am sad for the people who loved him and will miss him.
I never like Kinkade's works, too commercial, but why all those discussions after the man died, it would have been so much better to have it when he was alive.....
4~9~5993
Very SAD to hear about him dead at 54. And sympathy to his possibly long suffering family. In the beginning I loved his scenes and still like some of them. Years ago we were shocked to see one "original" in a Carmel shop window for many $1000's. Years after that I watched an expose about him on "60 Minutes". Also, talked to an artist who painted in a similar way. She said that many artists were forced out by his business practices. What were the "natural causes" of his death at 54? Sadly, unlike French Impressionist painter Claude Monet, it seems to me that Thomas Kinkade did not experience the serenity of the scenes he painted and ultimately did NOT live a long life to enjoy his rewards. I only hope that he was SAVED by the Father and Son! What ELSE matters?
Jayna, my wife and I were the same way: at first loved his stuff, then it got mass produced and overdone. Then, we saw that 60 minutes expose where he had other people mass producing paintings, all he did was put one or two paint strokes on it and signed it! And he was very smug about it, even being dismissive of the people who bought his stuff. After that we gave away all we had and never bought another thing he produced.
Like you guys, his work definitely became mass produced and overdone. Jaynna, maybe he painted serene scenes because he didn't have that serenity in his life, or if I'm a cynic I could say that he painted what people would buy. If the stories about his personal life are true, I truly feel sorry for him; I'd rather have some serenity and peace in life, than the millions that he made. Having said that, I'm appalled by the crudeness and lack of civility by some of the posters on this article. That is truly sad to me and causes me concern for our society. (Not referring to Jaynna or PittDeacon.)
What a loss of a Talented Man. RIP Mr. Kinkade. My condolences to his family. May GOD forgive those who spoke words of insults about him and his paintings. He passed away have some respect.
Hey Nanci, of what/whose god do you speak? After all, there are dozens of gods and I would not want to offend you or the other billions that might believe in a different one. I most definitely would not want to make any of those gos mad at me. Of course, I wouldn't tell my friend Pinocchio a lie either. What a moron, and this 'artist' was nothing more than a commercial illustrator, like a Morris Katz, painting with toilet paper.
Not a huge fan of his art. I saw little 'special' about it. Good yes, but not really unique. That doesn't mean his death isn't sad. Rest in peace.
Mr. Kinkade became known to me on a cruise ship. The painting I purchased depicts a stream in a woods in the spirng or summer, with a golden, almost warming light shining through the branches. In the winter where I live, there are too many dull, gray days. On those days, I often gazie at the print with appreciation for the "Painter of Light." It reminds me that lovely weather will return. I am sorry for the family's loss.
RIP Thomas I am so glad I bought my art while you were living. It means a lot to me. You were a great artist.
God Speed.
I too bought his art while he was alive. Kinkade was a legend in his own time. I will miss him.
I find it absolutely HILARIOUS that some of these snobs posting on here actually cite the art critics to back up their snobbery. Exactly how many of the greats were considered great when they were alive anyway?
I am not saying he belongs in that club, just commenting on the total idiocy of some of these comments. I really am not that familiar with his work.
Art is subjective, you get enough people agreeing on something that cant really be agreed upon and the artist is "great", so what? A piece of art only has one owner so consensus really means nothing. It's all in the eye of the beholder.
I do think all you clowns trying to build yourself up by dragging down a dead man are PATHETIC!
Thomas was a great painter. I don't care if someone does not agree. Different strokes for different folks.
A great painter perhaps, but unfortunately all his great pieces are still in his private, never seen by the public collection in his basement. I haven't seen any and sure hope they are better than the commercial stuff he virtually only sold while alive.
Sad to hear about the business practices as that leaves a sour effect to his passing. He donated to charity, probably more than most ever do. Hope all is well in that family. His work meant a lot to most people and had a lot of impact on culture. Although his work might be highly criticized by some, it was worthy of it's own niche and his paintings made a generally positive impact on this world and on me.
He was very good, not great. The same people that want to say he was great are the ones that said Clarence Clemons was great; he was just very good at best. That is not being nasty but honest and straight up.
I totally agree with ABCzyx. Although we all have our own tastes and being an artist myself I don't think there can be "bad art". However the problem I've always had with Kinkaid was the mixed media mass production where he had students/employees adding a few daubs of paint here and there to canvas prints. When done I understand Kinkaid would put his sig on the finished product. This could be a rumour but as I've heard this from several sources I have to at least consider this to be true. What say you?
I have a few of his paintings and have always found them warm and very inviting . I thought he was very good at is skill . Not sure what all the bad comments are for . Why is his art not considered good ? He went into so much detail with his paintings , that I don't see in other painters . Again why all the hate for his talent. I don't understand .
Thank you Thomas for your love of the beautiful things in Life . RIP .
"They say" you should never speak ill of the dead, nor spread gossip. But I must share this anecdote:
A young lady co-worker of mine about 10 years ago had a 2nd job as a salesperson in one of Thomas Kinkade galleries.
Kinkade came to town for an art event to promote his paintings, and naturally the local gallery was very involved. She told us that he acted like a complete jerk; he was rude and mean to everyone there. I remember her saying in particular that he cursed and yelled not only at the employees but also his WIFE who had come along.
You could chalk it up to just hearsay or gossip, but now that reports are coming out that he was a mean drunk and had fights with his ex-wife, and the police were called to his home recently for domestic violence -- well, these facts seem to collaborate that story I heard ten years.
Sounds like the only "peaceful, Christian light" in his life was on his paintings.
Really people? If you didn't like the man Okay, but don't put hateful comments on here when it's about his death. That's rude. Also, just because his paintings are not in a museum does not mean they're not good. Many artist were not recognized until after their death.
With that said my consolences to his family.
He will be missed!