He studied at the University of California at Berkeley and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. By December 2009, his images also appeared on Walmart gift cards. [3] He is notable for achieving success during his lifetime with the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products by means of the Thomas Kinkade Company. (Lauren Purkey / Mercury News), The home of the late artist Thomas Kinkade. Although an autopsy was performed on painter Thomas Kinkade on Monday, the results may not be known for five months, the San Jose Mercury News reports. He was survived by his wife, Nanette, and four children. And a native Californian as well.' Painter Thomas Kinkade's death ruled accidental overdose (April 4, 2004). A Santa Clara County Coroner's investigator confirmed to Reuters that the autopsy report on Kinkade had been completed but said he could not release it after business hours. Family Spouse Thomas Kinkade (May 2, 1982 - April 6, 2012) (his death, 4 children) Trivia The change dovetailed with a shift in his career path. He was the second person in the Foundation's 15-year history to be chosen as Ambassador, the first being the organization's founder, former U.S. President George H. W. June 1, 2022 By Graziella Paone Thomas Kinkade was an American painter. Cause of death was "acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication" the report stated. (Lauren Purkey / Mercury News) The home of the late artist Thomas Kinkade. She said they started dating 18 months previous, about six months after Nanette filed for legal separation. Some academics expressed concerns about the implications of Kinkade's success in relation to Western perceptions of visual art: in 2009, Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Kinkade, who called . Club wrote, "To his detractors, he represents the triumph of sub-mediocrity and the commercialization and homogenization of painting [] perhaps no other painter has been as shameless or as successful at transforming himself into a corporation as Kinkade. Patrick Kinkade said his brother had been burdened in recent years by a separation from his wife, financial troubles and the low opinion of his work by critics. Drohojowska-Philp, Hunter. Rest in peace, Thomas Kinkade. The 54-year-old Kinkade was renowned for his sentimental paintings of gardens and landscapes, which he sold in a nationwide chain of galleries, the Associated Press reported. He was selected along with fellow artists Simon Bull and Howard Behrens to commemorate the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the 2002 World Series. LOS ANGELES, May 7 - "Painter of Light" Thomas Kinkade died of accidental acute intoxication from alcohol and an anti-anxiety medication, according to autopsy report made public on Monday by local NBC Bay Area TV. William Thomas Kinkade was born on January 19, 1958, in Sacramento County, California. Diazepam is the active ingredient in Valium. (Gary Reyes/ Staff), The Monte Sereno home of the late artist Thomas Kinkade. (Richard Koci Hernandez, Mercury News), A pre-"Painter of Light" work by Kinkade: "Two Cats." The painting, Symbols of Freedom, was the official image for the 2004 Pageant of Peace. His paintings ranged in cost from hundreds of dollars to more than $10,000. "When I asked him why Thomas Kinkade, he just said, 'Well, he is America's most successful artist. Kinkadedied earlier this monthat his home in Santa Clara County. The . "Commemorative Keepsake Yuletide Case File #152: "The New Yorker Digital Edition: Oct 15, 2001", "Gallery Owners Win Ruling in Kinkade Case", "Thomas Kinkade firm seeks bankruptcy protection", "Paint By Numbers - Newsweek and The Daily Beast", "Virginia Kincade dealers prevail in arbitration", "Thomas Kinkade died peacefully in sleep, girlfriend says", "Artist Thomas Kinkade arrested for drunken driving", "Ticky-tacky houses from "The Painter of Light", Light of Freedom benefitting Salvation Army, Kinkade a spokesman for Make A Wish Foundation, "National Ambassador of Light" Co-Authors Book, "Notable Church of the Nazarene Ministers and Members", On DVD: Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage, Bringing Cookie-Tin Paintings To Your TV Screen, Thomas Kinkade: Autopsy planned after unexpected death, "Alcohol, Drugs Killed Thomas Kinkade: Autopsy", "Thomas Kinkade's girlfriend: Artist was 'very happy', "Thomas Kincaid Died After Night of Heavy Drinking", "Girlfriend says painter Thomas Kinkade died in his sleep", "Thomas Kinkade's Wife Files Restraining Order Against His Girlfriend", "Secret deal ends girlfriend-wife feud over painter Thomas Kinkade's estate". Eventually he was calmed by his mother. William Thomas Kinkade III (January 19, 1958 April 6, 2012)[2][3] was an American painter of popular realistic, pastoral, and idyllic subjects. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Monte Sereno resident and artist Thomas Kinkade holds an oil painting of a home on Shannon Road that he completed for a Los Gatos homeowner in 2010. [1] He and his wife had been separated for more than a year before his death in 2012.[57]. Thus while it is believed that Kinkade designed and painted all of his original paintings, the ones collectors were likely to own were printed factory-like and touched up with manual brush strokes by someone other than Kinkade. Diazepam is the active ingredient in Valium. They beckon you into this world that provides an alternative to your nightly news broadcast.. In recent years, the AP noted, he had run into personal difficulties, including a 2010 bankruptcy filing by one of his companies. That was the first of the surprising developments. (Richard Koci Hernandez, Mercury News), An early self-portrait. Rebelling against what he considered the elitism of modern art, Mr. Kinkade moved his focus to retail, not a traditional gallery system. He studied briefly at the University of California at Berkeley and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, before moving to Hollywood to paint backgrounds for an animated film called Fire and Ice.. Kinkade said he was emphasizing the value of simple pleasures and that his intent was to communicate inspirational messages through his paintings. [51] In Dana Spiotta's 2011 novel Stone Arabia, the main character's boyfriend, an art teacher at a private school in Los Angeles, gives her presents of Thomas Kinkade Painter of Light pieces. By John S.. According to a report in The Daily, local police had responded to calls from the painter's house and broken up fights between Kinkade and Pinto. [44], In 2002, Kinkade was inducted into the California Tourism Hall of Fame as an individual who had influenced the public's perception of tourism in California through his images of California sights. A self-described "devout Christian" (even giving all four of his children the middle name "Christian"[9]), Kinkade believed he gained his inspiration from his religious beliefs and that his work was intended to include a moral dimension. Kinkade's paintings often featured images from passages of the Bible US landscape artist Thomas Kinkade died from an accidental overdose, an autopsy has concluded. His country scenes rarely depict people, a point that he frequently received questions about.[8]. During June 2010, his Morgan Hill, California manufacturing operation that reproduced the art filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing nearly $6.2 million in creditors' claims. [53], A self-produced movie about Kinkade, Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage, was released on DVD in late November 2008. [44], During 2001, Media Arts unveiled "The Village at Hiddenbrooke," a Kinkade-themed community of homes, built outside of Vallejo, California, in partnership with the international construction company Taylor Woodrow. What was the cause of death? Before Kinkades Media Arts Group went private in the middle of the past decade, the company took in $32 million per quarter from 4,500 dealers across the country 10 years ago, according to the Mercury News. Former gallery dealers also charged that the company used Christianity to take advantage of people. After news of his death spread on Saturday, fans and critics alike remembered him on Twitter for his seemingly ubiquitous paintings that they knew from the living rooms of grandparents and the waiting rooms of doctors offices. [44], Kinkade was the artist chosen to depict the historic Biltmore House; he also created the commemorative portrait of the 50th running of the Daytona 500 during 2008. All Rights Reserved. Hewas separated from his wife, and his company had filed for bankruptcy in 2010. "They certainly used the Christian hook. The turbulent life and unexpected death of painter Thomas Kinkade Still, Nanette Kinkade said upon her husbands death, Thom provided a wonderful life for his family. [4], Kinkade described himself as a "Painter of Light", a phrase he protected by trademark, but which was earlier used to describe the English artist J. M. W. Turner (17751851).[5]. [21][42][43], Kinkade was selected by a number of organizations to celebrate anniversaries, including Disneyland's 50th anniversary, Walt Disney World Resort's 35th anniversary, Elvis Presley's purchase of Graceland 50 years previously and the 25th anniversary of its opening to the public, and Yankee Stadium's farewell 85th season in 2008. Bob Odenkirk references Thomas Kinkade on his 2014 comedy album Amateur Hour. On the track "The Kids", Odenkirk includes Kinkade's paintings in a litany of things he encourages his children to appreciate when in reality he wants them to reject when they are older. Growing up poor in Placerville, Calif., Thomas said he always envisioned his family living in a fine home like this. In that I really like to make people happy.. I saw it all in my imagination. Jared Padalecki plays Kinkade and Marcia Gay Harden plays his mother. "[13], Mike McGee, director of the CSUF Grand Central Art Center at California State University, Fullerton, wrote of the Thomas Kinkade Heaven on Earth exhibition:[15]. Photo: Michael A. Jones/Sacramento Bee/ZUMA, Thomas Kinkade Battled Alcoholism Right Before Death: Brother, Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2023, Elvis Presley's Death: The Details Behind the King of Rock & Roll's Passing, The Murdoch Family: All About the Real-Life People Who Inspired 'Succession', Former Los Angeles Angels Staffer Eric Kay Found Guilty for His Role in the Death of Tyler Skaggs, Bob Saget Had Catastrophic Injuries to His Head, Was COVID Positive When He Died: Autopsy, Naomi Judd's Autopsy Confirms Her Death by Suicide as Family Says She 'Was Dogged by an Unfair Foe', Everything to Know About the Murdaugh Family Murders, Including Alex's Conviction, Tom Sizemore's Life, Career and Controversies: Everything to Know, Everything Michael K. Williams Has Said About Addiction and His Mental Health Struggles, Jimmy Hayes Died with Fentanyl and Cocaine in His System: 'Completely Shocked,' Says Widow, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's Relationship: A Look Back, Naya Rivera and Son Counted '1, 2, 3' and Jumped in Lake Before She Yelled 'Help' and Drowned, JFK and Jackie Kennedy's Relationship Timeline. Thomas Kinkade's Cause of Death Revealed - Art F City [60][61] Pinto-Walsh stated that the artist "died in his sleep, very happy, in the house he built, with the paintings he loved, and the woman he loved. Thomas Kinkade: the secret life and strange death of art's king of twee The works of the Painter of Light have been reproduced on furniture and inspired the building of a whole village, but. The findings state that Kinkade suffered from an "accidental" and "acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication" (in layman's terms, Kinkade drank too much while taking Valium). The two parties are now discussing how to proceed, though the restraining order could be served in the future. Cause Of Death Determined For Painter Thomas Kinkade. Thomas Kinkade [2][58] He is buried at Madronia Cemetery in Saratoga, California. He was 54. Kinkade's death at his Los Gatos home appeared to be from natural causes, according to the family. Additionally, mass-produced hand-painted fakes from countries such as China and Thailand abound in the U.S. and around the globe. (Religious News Service), The Daily Californian of September 24, 1976 features a page one political cartoon by Thomas Kinkade. A biography on his website states that Kinkade rejected the intellectual isolation of the artist and instead, made each of his works an intimate statement that resonates in the personal lives of his viewers., I share something in common with Norman Rockwell and, for that matter, with Walt Disney, he said. The two of them finished their journey in New York and secured a contract with Guptill Publications to produce a sketching handbook. April 16, 2012: A judge granted a restraining order requested by Kinkades company that barred Pinto from speaking publicly about the artist and her relationship with him. Kinkade has long been derided as the epitome of mediocre art. Rendered with idealistic values of American scene painting, his works often portray bucolic and idyllic settings such as gardens, streams, stone cottages, lighthouses and Main Streets. (AP Photo/PR Newswire, The Thomas Kinkade Company), "Garden of Prayer," by Thomas Kinkade. Recurring features of Kinkade's paintings are their pastel colors and brilliant illumination of the scene. Thomas Kinkade Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death - Dead or Kicking Thom provided a wonderful life for his family, his wife, Nanette, said in a statement. Kinkade received $50 million during this period. In 2011, the Kinkade studio said that Kinkade was the most collected artist in Asia but received no income from those regions because of widespread forgery. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Thomas Kinkades autopsy results are back and drugs and alcohol were indeed responsible for the ubiquitous artists untimely death. But this will never happen. Dear Abby: How honest should I be with my married pickleball partner? It went on to say that Amy Pinto had found him unresponsive in his bed and called police at 11:15 a.m. She told authorities he had been drinking all night. Thom provided a wonderful life for his family, his wife, Nanette, said in a statement. When Walt looked out over his citrus grove and envisioned Disneyland, it wasnt real to him yet, Mr. Kinkade said, speaking as a Thomas Kinkade Community opened in Vallejo, Calif. When he walked down Main Street it became real. Some of the prints also feature light effects that are painted onto the print surface by hand by "skilled craftsmen," touches that add to the illusion of light and the resemblance to an original work of art, and which are then sold at greater prices. Are you surprised by the news? and he would point to the subscript that appeared after his name." April 12, 2012: Kinkades brother, Pat, talked about his brothers inner demons, and the artists Los Gatos friends opened up about Kinkades heavy drinking in recent years: With a restricted drivers license from a 2010 drunken driving arrest (he had) a driver who escorted him around town. (Pauline Lubens/San Jose Mercury News), Alem Tewold of San Jose and Lilia Andres of San Jose "highlight" Thomas Kinkade's "Garden Beyond Spring Gate" reproduction painting inside the Media Arts Group building/facility in Morgan Hill, 2001. In 2004, he was selected for a second time by the Christmas Pageant of Peace to paint the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. But ask most art critics, and they'll tell you that Kinkade's work is saccharine, representational, sentimental and heavy-handed with Christian imagery. / CBS News. (Associated Press). "As much as he said it didn't bother him, in his heart deep down inside it would sadden him that people would criticize so hatefully his work and his vision when people didn't understand him," Patrick Kinkade told the Mercury News. The Drunken Downfall (and Death) of Thomas Kinkade Thomas Kinkade struggled with other issues as well. Thomas Kinkade, the popular painter who died in April at age 54, was killed by an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium, according to the medical examiner . Jillo is holding a picture of Kinkade that a friend produced that says "The Godfather of Art." Thomas Kinkade, Artist to Mass Market, Dies at 54 When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [34] A $500,000 payment had been disbursed previously. Artist Thomas Kinkade died from a lethal cocktail of alcohol and Valium, according to the official coroner's report from the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office. Nanette and the couples two teenage daughters were in Australia, she said. Thomas Kinkade died in his Los Gatos home on Friday, and by Tuesday afternoon, the 54-year-old's cause of death was still a mystery. Report: Acute intoxication killed Thomas Kinkade - CBS News Kinkade was born and raised in the Placerville, Calif. (Jack Fischer, Mercury News), A 1976 cartoon by Thomas Kinkade in the UC Berkely newspaper the Daily Californian. By May 2005, that number had more than halved. The Contra Costa Times reports that an original painting of Kinkade's sat unsold for years with a $110,000 price tag. Licensing with Hallmark and other corporations has made it possible for Kinkade's images to be used extensively for other merchandise such as calendars, jigsaw puzzles, greeting cards, and CDs. "Kinkade was just 54, but early reports attributed his death to natural causes.Kinkade's, Gael Fashingbauer Cooper and Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, initials are engraved on Kinkade's reproductions, 'Painter of Light' Thomas Kinkade dies at 54, Newark residents angry over Whitney Houston funeral cost. The Santa Clara County Coroner's Office reported Kinkade's cause of death as "acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication" and manner of death as "accident," according to the NBC station. He also said decades of attacks on his work and a split with his wife two years ago had taken a toll on the self-described "Painter of Light. In 2010, Kinkades art company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Art galleries reported a surge in sales of Kinkade's paintings following his death. Thomas Kinkade autopsy reveals cause of death: Valium, alcohol overdose Jeff Stacklin Updated May 8, 2012 at 12:53 PM Famed painter Thomas Kinkade died of an accidental overdose of alcohol. Thomas Kinkade Cause of Death: It Was Booze and Valium, Says the - Who2 Jeff Stacklin. SAN FRANCISCOArtist Thomas Kinkade, whose brushwork paintings of idyllic landscapes, cottages and churches have been big sellers for dealers across the United States, died Friday, a family spokesman said. [39], The Los Angeles Times reported that some of Kinkade's former colleagues, employees, and even collectors of his work said that he had a long history of cursing and heckling other artists and performers. Kinkade died April 6 at his Northern California home, which he shared with his girlfriend and personal assistant, Amy Pinto-Walsh. Pinto-Walsh had signed a confidentiality agreement when she began working as Kinkade's personal assistant, which the family accused her of breaking when she spoke to the media, according to the restraining order filing. Following Kinkade's death, Pinto-Walsh, 48, made statements to local newspapers saying that Kinkade had died in his sleep and that she was the one who'd called 911 from the home they shared. What was the location of death? (Richard Koci Hernandez, Mercury News), Thomas Kinkade, left, and his brother Pat at Daytona International Speedway in 2008. Many contain images from Bible passages.