Thomas Kinkade’s Estate Dispute Quietly Settled Between Widow, Mistress
The Thomas Kinkade estate dispute between the late painter’s widow and his mistress was secretly settled, according to statements by their attorneys on Wednesday.
Counsel for bot Nanette Kinkade and the late painter’s girlfriend, Amy Pinto, announced the settlement, but they did not provide any further information, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.
It is unclear which of the women will inherit Kinkade’s San Francisco Bay area mansion and his warehouse full of paintings. His estate is worth about $66 million.
The statement released by the lawyers adds that the women kept Kinkade’s message of “love, spirituality and optimism” in mind during their amicable resolution. The estate dispute began when Thomas Kinkade died on April 6 of an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription tranquilizers.
Pinto claimed that Kinkade wrote two notes before his death that bequeathed his mansion and $10 million to establish a museum to house his paintings. Her lawyers also filed court papers alleging that Kinkade wanted to marry Pinto when his divorce went through.
The Washington Post notes that Kinkade’s estranged wife, Nanette, disputed the claims and filed court papers to seek full control of the late artist’s full estate. She also portrayed Pinto in court documents as a woman who was trying to cheat Kinkade’s rightful heirs and who was a gold-digger.
Kinkade was a self-described “Painter of Light.” Despite his private struggles with alcohol and women, the painter was known for sentimental scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes. His work has been reproduced and spin-off products have reportedly fetched almost $100 million in sales.
