Thomas Kinkade died of apparent natural causes at his Los Gatos home Friday according to a family spokesman. He was 54.
His wife Nanette issued a statement, “Thom provided a wonderful life for his family. We are shocked and saddened by his death.”
Kinkade, who called himself the “Painter of Light,” began his career by selling his work in supermarket parking lots in his hometown of Placerville, California. He and his wife invested their life savings to turn his artwork into printed reproductions as part of a mass marketing venture.
His work garnered a few hundred dollars for paper prints to $10,000 or more for canvas editions signed and retouched by Kinkade.
During the height of his art career, he exclusively licensed more than 350 Thomas Kinkade Signature Galleries to sell his landscapes and street scenes.
Several lawsuits were filed beginning in 2003, claiming the artist had defrauded them into financial ruin. He acknowledged that he behaved poorly under stress — overindulging in food and drink.
He was arrested in 2010 for DUI in Carmel, California.
Later he wrote, “The good news is I learned many valuable lessons from that phase of my life. With God’s help and the support of my family and friends, I have returned balance to my life. And if you have seen me lately, you know I have lost over 50 pounds and I feel terrific.”
He is survived by his wife of three decades, Nanette, and four children.
Photos: Video Screen Grabs