You might not know his name, but you definitely know his work. Thomas Kinkade painted quaint scenes of cottages, cobblestone paths and warm, glowing windows, seemingly lit as an invitation to come inside. He had mass appeal that made him a household name and the target of disapproval from art critics. Kinkade passed away unexpectedly on Friday at the age of 54.

Other than the fact that we can find copies of his paintings in every mall and hanging on the walls of most hotels, we don’t know a lot about Thomas Kinkade. Here are a few facts about the artist and some examples of his unique artistic style.

Thomas Kinkade's Stillwater Cottage
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Thomas Kinkade's classic Twilight Cottage
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The original of a Kinkade piece that has been published will usually appraise at $100,000 to $400,000, depending on its popularity.

Thomas Kinkade's Quiet Evening
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One of Kinkade’s most popular pieces, the original of this Disneyland 50th Anniversary painting, has been appraised at over $1 million.

Thomas Kinkade's Disneyland's 50th Anniversary painting
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Sources estimate that Kinkade’s paintings and products bring in approximately $100 million a year.

Thomas Kinkade's Country Living
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Thomas Kinkade began his life as a professional artist by selling his prints outside a local supermarket for $25 a piece.

Thomas Kinkade's Lakeside Manor
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Kinkade would often pay tribute to his family by incorporating their images or initials into his paintings. In 1990, he began a tradition of hiding a letter ‘N’ in his paintings to honor his wife Nanette. Some paintings include a number in the lower corner that indicates how many times the ‘N’ appears in the painting.

Thomas Kinkade's Nanette's Cottage
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From the years 1984 through 1989, Kinkade explored a “French Impressionistic” style of painting under the brush name Robert Girrard. He created 71 different pieces of artwork under that name while still creating original Kinkade pieces at the same time.

Robert Girrard's Spring Meadows
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In 2008, Lionsgate Films produced a movie about the early life and artwork of Thomas Kinkade called ‘Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage.’ Young Kinkade was played by Jared Padelecki, who you’ll recognize as Sam Winchester on ‘Supernatural.’ The movie was not picked up by a studio and released directly to DVD. Kinkade created a commemorative painting that was featured in the film.

Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage
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In 1983, Kinkade worked as a background painter on the animated movie ‘Fire and Ice’ which was produced by Ralph Bakshi Studios. Bakshi released a statement following Kinkade’s death, saying critics miss the “true brilliance that is Kinkade.”

 

Thomas Kinkade Fire and Ice
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According to his website, Kinkade’s company has partnerships with many major companies like Disney, Billy Graham, Major League Baseball, Warner Brothers, NASCAR, Indianapolis 500, Elvis Presley Enterprises, The Denver Broncos, The Tim Tebow Foundation and the Biltmore Hotel corporation.

Thomas Kinkade's Gone With The Wind
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His cause of death is unknown, but it is believed he died of natural causes. An autopsy is pending. He leaves behind his wife Nanette, four daughters and an undeniable multimillion-dollar art legacy.

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