The Santa Clara County coroner will conduct an autopsy on Thomas Kinkade on Monday to determine the 54-year-old’s cause of death. The popular painter, who had a history of alcohol abuse and was arrested in June 2010 for DUI, was found dead in his Monte Sereno, California home last Friday. Authorities believe he died of natural causes.
Kinkade’s wife Nanette released a statement Saturday to the Associated Press saying the family is “shocked” by his sudden passing. "Thom provided a wonderful life for his family. We are shocked and saddened by his death,” she said.
Kinkade is known for his landscapes and Bible scenes. Although art critics have often slammed his work as “kitsch,” he won numerous awards from the National Association of Limited Edition Dealers and reportedly averaged $100 million in sales each year.
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