SeeCalifornia.com

Born in the Gold Rush town of Placerville where a Kinkade Gallery sells his artwork, the Los Gatos, Calif. resident, Thomas Kinkade, died Friday, April 6, 2012, at his home in Los Gatos at the age of 54.

Some loved his paintings and others scoffed, but the artist who described himself as a warrior of light and said he used light in his original artwork symbolically to represent the divine, was so successful that an estimated 1 in 20 U.S. homes has a copy of a Kinkade painting hanging on the wall. Seldom short on words to describe the thoughts he had when painting popular pieces, Kinkade talked about his art and was skillful in evoking emotions through romanticized images of every day scenes ranging from cottages, lakes, streets, cities, churches, and natural landscapes to events such as opening day at a ballpark.

His latest release, the fourth in a masterwork ‘Garden of Prayer’ collection is a painting of a gazebo. Kinkade described his inspiration as this: “In my heart, gazebos are truly peaceful places. They seem to exist apart from the world and beacon all of us inside the confines of the small world they capture. Children use them in their fanciful play delighting their young imaginations. Lovers use them as a retreat to share a romantic moment or perhaps a wedding vow. Wanderers use them as a place of refuge, gently sheltering from the day’s brilliant sun. To my artistic eye, this gazebo is a perfect place for those seeking a time of reverent renewal and a moment of solitude to be with their God.”  To view Kinkaide’s life through his art, take a stroll at the online gallery (thomaskinkaide.com).