It was always easy to poke fun at him -- he was not a "fine artist", rather an excellent illustrator and an even better self-promoter.
From the San Jose Mercury News:
Thomas Kinkade, one of America's most popular painters, dies suddenly in Los Gatos, California at 5454 is waay too young. A bit more which reveals that he was someone I would love to have a beer with:
Thomas Kinkade, the "Painter of Light" and one of the most popular artists in America, died suddenly Friday at his Los Gatos home. He was 54.
His family said in 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 of every 20 homes in the United States. Fans cite the warm, familiar feeling of his mass-produced works of art, while it has become fashionable for art critics to dismiss his pieces as tacky. In any event, his prints of idyllic cottages and bucolic garden gates helped establish a brand -- famed for their painted highlights -- not commonly seen in the art world.
"I'm a warrior for light," Kinkade told the Mercury News in 2002, alluding not just to his technical skill at creating light on canvas but to the medieval practice of using light to symbolize the divine. "With whatever talent and resources I have, I'm trying to bring light to penetrate the darkness many people feel."
A true kindred spirit. He was also a devout Christian and also quite the Philanthropist. Sad that it takes someone's passing for me to get a better handle on the content of their character. Easy targets are just that; true and real people are a lot more complex and we treasure them for that...but also enjoyed shooting and blowing up things on his ranch
