| Connect to share and comment |
Sarah WolfeMay 8, 2012 15:33
Coroner: Thomas Kinkade death caused by drugs, alcohol
Autopsy report confirms suspicions surrounding the April 6 death of the self-described "painter of light.
Autopsy report confirms suspicions surrounding the April 6 death of the self-described "painter of light.
Enlarge
LOS ANGELES: (L-R) Bob Goodwin, tennis player Serena Williams and painter Thomas Kinkade pose at the "We Are Family" recording session at the Chalice Recording Studios on Novj. 22, 2005 in Los Angeles. Kinkade died April 6, 2012, at age 54. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
An autopsy report confirmed that painter Thomas Kinkade died last month from an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription tranquilizers.
The self-described "Painter of Light" died April 6 due to a combination of ethanol and Diazepam intoxication, or in common terms, alcohol and the tranquilizer often marketed as Valium, the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
More from GlobalPost: Painter Thomas Kinkade 'drinking all night' when he died (VIDEO)
Kinkade, 54, also suffered from hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease, CNN reported the autopsy report as saying.
Before his death, he produced sentimental scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes that were sold in a nationwide chain of galleries.
Kinkade was one of the most popular artists in America, painting more than 1,000 pieces, but had fallen on hard times financially in recent years and relapsed into alcoholism before his death, according to People.com.
More from GlobalPost: Thomas Kinkade painting sales surge since his death
He separated from his wife and their four daughters in 2010.
In 2006, Kinkade recalled one of his earliest lessons during an interview with CNN's Larry King.
"When I was a young boy, my mother told me, 'Your talents are God's gifts to you, and what you do with those talents are your gift to God,'" he said.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120508/coroner-thomas-kinkade-death-drugs-alcohol
.
-
Photo
Jaume Plensa's "Tel Aviv Man" at Art Basel, the world’s premier trade fair for leading galleries and collectors focused on modern and contemporary art.
- [/] -
Photo
The front of the Art Basel building. This year’s show attracted 303 of the world’s top galleries from 36 countries, showing the works of more than 2,500 artists. It drew more than 62,000 visitors, a new record.
- [/] -
Photo
Platform Gallery's Chen Wei and one of his "Recovery Room" series at Liste Young Artist's show. By the time the week was over he had sold more than 10 works, with prices ranging from $1,800 to nearly $3,000.
- [/] -
Photo
A performance spectator admires some of the pieces at Basel Art.
- [/] -
Photo
A performance piece at Basel Scope, done by an unidentified nearly naked man who moved in slow motion up and down the aisles dressed like a Greek version of Mars, the god of war.
- [/] -
Photo
A performance piece at Scope. The man clutched a staff, on which a plastic container for motor oil with the BP logo was impaled.
- [/] -
Photo
An installation piece at Basel Art.
- [/] -
Photo
An installation piece with paper tubes at Basel Art.
- [/] -
Photo
A gallery scene at the Scope Basel show.
- [/] -
Photo
A sculpture of Sperone Westwater Gallery's employee, Michael Short, by Evan Penny.
- [/] -
Photo
Evan Penny's sculpture of Michael Short.
- [/] -
Photo
A woman views Jaume Plensa's "Tel Aviv Man," (Study) 2010, Galerie Lelong, Paris.
- [/] -
Photo
"Medusa marinara," 1997 — a photographic representation of the Medusa in spaghetti and tomato sauce by New York-based Brazilian artist, Vic Muniz.
- [/] -
Photo
Children play around Ai Weiwei's piece, "Field," 2010.
- [/] -
Photo
Heimo Sobernig's "Black Cube" sits on display outside outside.
- [/] -
Photo
A piece by Yayoi Kusama titled "Pumkin."
- [/]
Follow us: