Thomas Kinkade

Thomas Kinkade (1958–2012) was an American painter renowned for his light-infused, idyllic landscapes, cottages, and pastoral scenes, earning the nickname 'Painter of Light.' He achieved massive commercial success through mass-marketed prints and licensed products via the Thomas Kinkade Company, reportedly present in one in every 20 American homes at peak popularity. Starting as a background artist on films like Fire and Ice, he built an empire before dying from an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium.[1][2][3]