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The battle rages over the estate of the Painter of Light Thomas Kinkade, as his mistress Amy Pinto-Walsh yesterday claimed famed commercial artist left her his mansion and millions of dollars.
Amy Pinto-Walsh recently produced a shakily-written will that states she is entitled to Thomas Kinkade’s Monte Sereno, California, mansion and an additional $10 million to start a museum at that location, as well as another $66.3 million in original artwork and collected paintings.
Nanette Kinkade, the artist’s wife of 30 years, has been fighting Amy Pinto-Walsh in court in a bitter struggle for the painter’s will. The two are due in court today in what will undoubtedly be the next chapter of an agonizing spat.
Amy Pinto-Walsh claims the barely-legible will was written by the 54-year-old Thomas Kinkade on November 18 of last year and gives her control over his two properties nestled in Monte Sereno, a wealthy neighborhood in Los Gatos.
The document, originally obtained by the San Jose Mercury News, was scribbled on what seems to be a piece of paper from a legal notepad.
It reads: “I, Thomas Kinkade, being of sound mind and body do hereby bequeath to Amy Pinto Walsh $10,000,000 in cash from my corporate policy.”
Thomas Kinkade also wrote that Amy Pinto-Walsh should have his two properties on Ridgecrest Avenue “for her security”.
It is signed and dated November 18, 2011.
Amy Pinto-Walsh recently produced a shakily-written will that states she is entitled to Thomas Kinkade’s Monte Sereno, California, mansion and an additional $10 million to start a museum at that location, as well as another $66.3 million in original artwork and collected paintings
Thomas Kinkade, who died of an accidental Valium and alcohol overdose in April, was dating Amy Pinto-Walsh at the time of his death.
He was married to Nanette Kinkade for more than 30 years and had four daughters together.
Amy Pinto-Walsh, who was called a gold-digger by the estranged Nanette Kinkade, said after the painter’s death that the two were planning to wed after his divorce was finalized.
In April, lawyers portrayed Thomas Kinkade’s girlfriend as a ruthless gold digger who is out to “tear down” the late artist’s reputation and do irreparable damage to his family.
The restraining order against Amy Pinto-Walsh claimed she broke a confidentiality agreement by talking to reporters the morning Thomas Kinkade was found dead and threatened to reveal his business and personal secrets.
The artist’s bodyguard – who drove him around after he was caught drink driving – said the family had reason to fear Amy Pinto-Walsh because she was prone to “impulsive and erratic” behavior and once threatened to “tear Mr. Kinkade down”.
“Amy was already part of his circle of friends and that really enraged Nanette,” an unnamed source told Radar Online.
“Nanette was furious and humiliated that he not only cheated on her, but moved on so quickly and publicly with her.”
She didn’t make any attempt to hide her frustration either, as she filed a restraining order against his mistress shortly after his death, wanting to stop her from breaching a confidentiality agreement she signed more than a year ago.
The so-called Painter of Light used to estimate that around one out of every 20 homes in America.
His estate – of which Nanette Kinkade is the principal trustee – has filed documents with a Santa Clara court seeking an injunction against Amy Pinto-Walsh, according to Los Gatos Patch.
Thomas Kinkade died of accidental acute intoxication from alcohol and an anti-anxiety medication, an autopsy report revealed.
The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office reported Thomas Kinkade’s cause of death as “acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication” and manner of death as “accident”, according to NBC Bay Area.
Diazepam is the active ingredient in name-brand drug Valium.
Thomas Kinkade, whose works captivated millions of Americans despite the scorn of many art critics, died in April at his home in Northern California at the age of 54.
Painter Thomas Kinkade died of accidental acute intoxication from alcohol and an anti-anxiety medication, an autopsy report revealed late Monday.
The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office reported Thomas Kinkade’s cause of death as “acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication” and manner of death as “accident”, according to NBC Bay Area.
Diazepam is the active ingredient in name-brand drug Valium.
The self-proclaimed Painter of Light Thomas Kinkade, whose works captivated millions of Americans despite the scorn of many art critics, died in April at his home in Northern California at the age of 54.
The coroner’s report also said the painter suffered from “hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease”.
In layman’s terms, Thomas Kinkade had high blood pressure and thickened artery walls in his heart due to high cholesterol.
The painter’s brother told the San Jose Mercury News newspaper that the painter had battled alcoholism for several years and suffered a relapse before he died.
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.
The Santa Clara County Coroner's Office reported Thomas Kinkade's cause of death as “acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication” and manner of death as “accident”
Thomas Kinkade was arrested for drunk driving in 2010, the same year his company filed for bankruptcy.
Art galleries reported a surge in sales of Thomas Kinkade’s paintings following his death.
Thomas Kinkade’s scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes led to a commercial empire that was said to fetch some $100 million a year in sales. The artist’s paintings hang in an estimated one out of every 20 homes in the United States.
A key feature of Thomas Kinkade’s paintings is their glowing highlights and saturated pastel colors. His works often portray bucolic, idyllic settings such as gardens, streams, stone cottages, and main streets.
The painter is notable for the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products through his company The Thomas Kinkade Company.
The prices of his painting’s range from $200 to more than $10,000.
“Thomas Kinkade, the celebrated <<Painter of Light>> is one of the most widely collected and beloved artists of our day,“ his official website says.
“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 was a devout Christian and has said his inspiration comes from his religious beliefs and that his work is intended to contain a larger moral meaning.
“I try to create paintings that are a window for the imagination,” Thomas 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.”
Lawyers portrayed Amy Pinto-Walsh, painter Thomas Kinkade’s girlfriend, as a ruthless gold digger who is out to “tear down” the late artist’s reputation and do irreparable damage to his family, in a restraining order granted by a judge yesterday.
The order against Amy Pinto-Walsh claimed she broke a confidentiality agreement by talking to reporters the morning Thomas Kinkade was found dead and threatened to reveal his business and personal secrets.
Thomas Kinkade’s bodyguard, Dean Baker, – who drove him around after he was caught drink driving – said the family had reason to fear Amy Pinto-Walsh because she was prone to “impulsive and erratic” behavior and once threatened to “tear Mr. Kinkade down”.
Dean Baker was quitted in court documents and said he was witness to her behavior when he accompanied them on numerous vacations.
“On one occasion Pinto-Walsh made a threat to Mr. Kinkade along the lines of “I will tear you down. I would expect Pinto-Walsh to disclose confidential information,” Dean Baker said in his declaration filed on April 8.
The order against Amy Pinto-Walsh claimed she broke a confidentiality agreement by talking to reporters the morning Thomas Kinkade was found dead and threatened to reveal his business and personal secrets
A close friend of the family and godmother to the Kinkade children, Linda Raasch, left a similar declaration saying she was concerned about amy Pinto-Walsh’s motives, according to the Mercury News.
Linda Raasch said: “I told her releasing private and confidential documents would cause great emotional distress. But she was unmoved by my entreaties.”
However, the artist’s brother, Patrick Kinkade, said Amy Pinto-Walsh was a “good and sweet person” and was surprised at the restraining order.
Patrick Kinkade told the Mercury News: “Amy was Thom’s girlfriend. They enjoyed each other immensely. She’s a good person, a sweet person. She cared about Thom.”
The request for the restraining order said: “This threat is not just a mean-spirited act of betrayal, but a calculated attempt to garner money and fame at the expense of the grieving Kinkade family, including his wife and four daughters.”
Though the painter had separated from his wife, Nanette Kinkade, about two years ago, their divorce was not finalized when he died three weeks ago of what is believed to have been natural causes.
Thomas Kinkade was said to have been planning on marrying Amy Pinto-Walsh as soon as the divorce was finalized. They had been dating for 18 months.
“Amy was already part of his circle of friends and that really enraged Nanette,” an unnamed source told Radar Online.
“Nanette was furious and humiliated that he not only cheated on her, but moved on so quickly and publicly with her.”
Nanette Kinkade didn’t make any attempt to hide her frustration either, as she filed a restraining order against artist’s mistress shortly after his death, wanting to stop her from breaching a confidentiality agreement she signed more than a year ago.
Thomas Kinkade’s estranged wife fears Amy Pinto-Walsh will attempt to sell her story and could release private family photographs.
Thomas Kinkade, the so-called Painter of Light, was one of the most successful artists in the U.S., but he struggled with alcoholism before his death at the age of 54, and split from his wife Nanette in 2010.
Self-proclaimed Painter of Light Thomas Kinkade left behind some warring women when he died nearly three weeks ago.
Though Thomas Kinkade had separated from his wife about two years ago, they were still in the process of getting divorced when he died of natural causes at 54.
New reports allege that Thomas Kinkade had planned to marry his live-in girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh, as soon as he was finally divorced from his first wife Nanette, with whom he had four daughters.
Thomas Kinkade and Amy Pinto-Walsh had been dating for about 18 months at the time of his death.
“Amy was already part of his circle of friends and that really enraged Nanette,” an unnamed source told Radar Online.
“Nanette was furious and humiliated that he not only cheated on her, but moved on so quickly and publicly with her.”
Nanette Kinkade didn’t make any attempt to hide her frustration either, as she filed a restraining order against his mistress shortly after his death.
She wants to stop Amy Pinto-Walsh from breaching a confidentiality agreement she signed more than a year ago.
Thomas Kinkade had planned to marry his live-in girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh, as soon as he was finally divorced from his first wife Nanette
Nanette Kinkade fears Amy Pinto-Walsh will attempt to sell her story and could release private family photographs.
Thomas Kinkade was one of the most successful artists in the U.S., but he struggled with alcoholism before his death at the age of 54, and split from his wife Nanette in 2010.
He used to estimate that around one out of every 20 homes in America.
Thomas Kinkade’s estate – of which Nanette Kinkade is the principal trustee – has filed documents with a Santa Clara court seeking an injunction against Amy Pinto-Walsh, according to Los Gatos Patch.
Its attorneys argue that the painter’s mistress, who is still living in his mansion in Monte Sereno, California, is planning to disclose information which would breach a confidentiality agreement signed in February 2011.
The restraining order would ban Amy Pinto-Walsh from saying or doing anything which would make Thomas Kinkade, his wife or his business “appear in a negative light or false light”.
Amy Pinto-Walsh would also be prevented from writing or contributing to any sort of book, article or other publication about the late artist.
In particular, the lawsuit seeks to stop her divulging personal information which she found out “as a personal assistant and companion to Thomas Kinkade”.
While it is not clear what exactly prompted the legal battle, the suit alleges that Amy Pinto-Walsh told a family friend that she intended to sell the story of her relationship with Thomas Kinkade and release unseen photographs of the painter.
The suit continues: “The release of these items would be personally devastating not only for Mrs. Kinkade, but also for the family’s four daughters, who are grieving the sudden loss of their father.”
The family also fears that Amy Pinto-Walsh could jeopardize Thomas Kinkade’s business empire, which relied on the production of prints and reproductions as much as original paintings.
They say she had access to “trade secrets” such as the artist’s painting techniques and computer programmes, and could try to sell them on to others.
Amy Pinto-Walsh, who had been in a relationship with Thomas Kinkade for 18 months before his death, told Los Gatos Patch at the time that the painter “had a heart condition”.
Nanette Kinkade’s lawsuit cites this revelation of a “non-public health condition” as one breach of Amy Pinto-Walsh’s confidentiality agreement.
The suit also says that Thomas Kinkade died on the night of April 5, which contradicts previous reports that he was found dead the next morning.
While the artist was phenomenally successful and extremely wealthy, Thomas Kinkade apparently suffered from a drinking problem throughout much of his life, and in June 2010 was arrested for DUI.
Thomas Kinkade was also saddened by constant attacks on the quality of his work by art critics, and devastated by his divorce from Nanette.
Nanette Kinkade, the ex-wife of Thomas Kinkade, the successful Painter of Light who died earlier this month, has filed a restraining order against his live-in girlfriend.
Thomas Kinkade’s family wants to stop Amy Pinto-Walsh from breaching a confidentiality agreement she signed more than a year ago.
Nanette Kinkade fears Amy Pinto-Walsh will attempt to sell her story and could release private family photographs.
Thomas Kinkade was one of the most successful artists in the US, but he struggled with alcoholism before his death at the age of 54, and split from his wife Nanette in 2010.
Thomas Kinkade was one of the most successful artists in the US, but he struggled with alcoholism before his death at the age of 54, and split from his wife Nanette in 2010
The so-called Painter of Light used to estimate that around one out of every 20 homes in America.
Thomas Kinkade’s estate – of which Nanette Kinkade is the principal trustee – has filed documents with a Santa Clara court seeking an injunction against Amy Pinto-Walsh, according to Los Gatos Patch.
The attorneys argue that the painter’s mistress, who is still living in his mansion in Monte Sereno, California, is planning to disclose information which would breach a confidentiality agreement signed in February 2011.
The restraining order would ban Amy Pinto-Walsh from saying or doing anything which would make Thomas Kinkade, his ex-wife or his business “appear in a negative light or false light”.
Amy Pinto-Walsh would also be prevented from writing or contributing to any sort of book, article or other publication about the late artist.
In particular, the lawsuit seeks to stop Amy Pinto-Walsh divulging personal information which she found out “as a personal assistant and companion to Thomas Kinkade”.
Thomas Kinkade’s family, his ex-wife Nanette (right) and their four daughters
While it is not clear what exactly prompted the legal battle, the suit alleges that Amy Pinto-Walsh told a family friend that she intended to sell the story of her relationship with Thomas Kinkade and release unseen photographs of the painter.
The suit continues: “The release of these items would be personally devastating not only for Mrs. Kinkade, but also for the family’s four daughters, who are grieving the sudden loss of their father.”
The family also fears that Amy Pinto-Walsh could jeopardize Thomas Kinkade’s business empire, which relied on the production of prints and reproductions as much as original paintings.
They say Amy Pinto-Walsh had access to “trade secrets” such as the artist’s painting techniques and computer programmes, and could try to sell them on to others.
Amy Pinto-Walsh, who had been in a relationship with Thomas Kinkade for 18 months before his death, told Los Gatos Patch at the time that the painter “had a heart condition”.
Nanette Kinkade’s lawsuit cites this revelation of a “non-public health condition” as one breach of Amy Pinto-Walsh’s confidentiality agreement.
The suit also says that Thomas Kinkade died on the night of April 5, which contradicts previous reports that he was found dead the next morning.
While Thomas Kinkade was phenomenally successful and extremely wealthy, he apparently suffered from a drinking problem throughout much of his life, and in June 2010 was arrested for DUI.
Thomas Kinkade was also saddened by constant attacks on the quality of his work by art critics, and devastated by his divorce from Nanette.
Painter of Light Thomas Kinkade battled alcoholism over the past several years and had a relapse just before his death at his home in California a family member has said.
Thomas Kinkade’s brother, Patrick, told the San Jose Mercury News decades of attacks on Kinkade’s work and a split with his wife two years ago had taken a toll on the artist.
“He would shoulder the world, pull the naysayers on his back and smile when he was doing it,” Patrick Kinkade told Mercury News.
“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,” he added.
Thomas Kinkade died in Monte Sereno on April 6 at age 54 of what a spokesman has said was natural causes. An autopsy is pending.
A recording of a dispatcher involved in the response to his home says Thomas Kinkade had been drinking all night and was not moving.
Still adjusting from a turbulent year in 2010, Thomas Kinkade split from his wife the same year his company filed for bankruptcy.
With a decline in his paintings’ sales, galleries closed and he struggled with sobriety, especially so he could continually see his four daughters.
Painter of Light Thomas Kinkade battled alcoholism over the past several years and had a relapse just before his death
“He loved Nanette and was heartbroken,” his friend Pete Jillo told Mercury News of his former wife of roughly 28 years he met on a paper route.
He was working on “adopting a clean lifestyle” and with some ups and downs, was getting there, right until the night before his death.
Thomas Kinkade’s scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes led to a commercial empire that was said to fetch some $100 million a year in sales. The artist’s paintings hang in an estimated one out of every 20 homes in the United States.
A key feature of his paintings is their glowing highlights and saturated pastel colors. His works often portray bucolic, idyllic settings such as gardens, streams, stone cottages, and main streets.
“There’s no hypocrisy in Thom’s vision,” his brother told Mercury News.
“What you’re looking at is a man. He believed in God. He loved his daughters. He wanted people to be affirmed by his work. But he was awfully human.”
“Thom provided a wonderful life for his family,” his wife, Nanette, said in a statement according to msnbc.com.
“We are shocked and saddened by his death.”
The painter is notable for the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products through his company The Thomas Kinkade Company.
The prices of his paintings range from $200 to more than $10,000.
“Thomas Kinkade, the celebrated <<Painter of Light>> is one of the most widely collected and beloved artists of our day,” his official website says.
“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.”
Thomas Kinkade, an University of California Berkeley graduate, was a devout Christian and has said his inspiration comes from his religious beliefs and that his work is intended to contain a larger moral meaning.
“I try to create paintings that are a window for the imagination,” Thomas 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.”
Thomas Kinkade’s company made $32 million per quarter from 4,500 dealers across the country 10 years ago, before going private, the Mercury News reported.
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.
Thomas Kinkade grew up in the small town of Placerville, California, graduated from high school in 1976, before attending the University of California, Berkeley and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
He married his wife Nanette in 1982 and the couple has four daughters: Merritt, Chandler, Winsor and Everett all named after artists.
Thomas Kinkade is reported to have earned $53 million for his artistic work between 1997 and May 2005.
But in 2010, his company’s Morgan Hill manufacturing arm, Pacific Metro, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Months later, Thomas Kinkade was reportedly arrested on suspicion of DUI. In 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported the FBI was investigating whether he fraudulently induced investors and then ruined them financially.
Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light, one of America’s most popular artist, died from what appear to have been natural causes at 54.
Nanette, the recently widowed wife of Thomas Kinkade, released a statement from the family which said: “Thom[-as Kinkade] provided a wonderful life for his family. We are shocked and saddened by his death.”
Paintings by Thomas Kinkade range in price from hundreds of dollars to well over $10,000. Media Arts Group, his private company, took in $32 million per quarter 10 years ago.
Thomas Kinkade was a devoted Christian well known for his incredible ability to paint light. Painting light wasn’t the only reason he was as incredibly successful as he was. One of the most important reasons he was able to achieve financial success in the art world during his lifetime was the fact that his artistic philosophy was to give the masses what they wanted, as opposed to using the canvas to express himself.
Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light, died from what appear to have been natural causes at 54
Ken Raasch, an old friend and co-founder of Kinkade’s Media Arts Group, was quoted by the Mercury News conveying his recently passed away friend’s unique perspective of the world:
“I’d see a tree as being green, and he would see it as 47 different shades of green. He just saw the world in a much more detailed way than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
Thomas Kinkade leaves behind his wife, Nanette, and four daughters.
Not only was Thomas Kinkade a successful painter, he was also a writer who achieved notoriety amongst the world of literature when his books hit the New York Times Best Seller list with his works The Artist’s Guide to Sketching and Masterworks of Light.
While the “warrior for light” Thomas Kinkade has died, his art will continue to live on far beyond his own untimely death. As the Painter of Light himself once said: “Art is forever.”
