Artist Thomas Kinkade, known as "The Painter of Light" left more of a dark scene after he passed away earlier this month at the age of 54.
Famous for his mass-produced, idyllic images of baseball fields, cottages along rivers and scenes from Disney films, Kinkade was more troubled in his personal life than his paintings suggested.
Reports of heavy drinking (Kinkade's brother said he had recently relapsed) and a volatile relationship with his girlfriend came out after the famous painter's untimely death.
Kinkade had been living with his girlfriend, Indian-born Amy Pinto Walsh, after he and his first wife, Nanette, separated two years ago.
Now Nanette has taken out a restraining order against Pinto Walsh, banning her from releasing any of Kinkade's trade secrets after she threatened to release personal photographs and information about the family.
The petition, to be heard by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Patricia M. Lucas, seeks to prohibit Pinto-Walsh from making statements or engaging in conduct that has the effect of defaming, criticizing, disparaging or discrediting Kinkade, Nanette Kinkade, or any company owned by Kinkade "to appear in a negative light or false light."
What exactly these women know that we don't is unclear, but Kinkade's company did face a few financial problems in the past, with one of his companies filing for bankruptcy in order to break a large art studio space lease.
And Gawker assumes such secrets have to do with Kinkade's ability to mass-produce subpar art.
Get to know Kinkade and his works better below.
Now watch this teen artfully transform her acne-scarred face with makeup >
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