Thomas Kinkade was passionate about painting outdoors, a practice known as en plein air, which is rooted in the tradition of early 20th-century French Impressionist painters. He sought to capture the dynamic effects of light throughout the day and the changes in nature across the seasons.

Thomas Kinkade was drawn to capturing landscapes and the changing foliage in all four seasons. While he painted many spring and summer scenes, he also enjoyed depicting the striking colors of fall foliage.

Watch this rare peek into Thomas's painting process as he paints en plein air as a crowd gathers to watch him work.

In honor of September 11, 2001, Thomas Kinkade painted The Season of Giving and The Light of Freedom for the Salvation Army. The proceeds from the sales of these two paintings raised over $2 million for the Salvation Army's Ground Zero Relief Fund to help the victims of September 11th.

"I've painted flowers for years, but rarely have I painted still-lifes. "Lilac Bouquet, 2002", features an assortment of flowers celebrating the beauty of spring."

Running out of canvas or board to paint on didn't stop Thomas Kinkade from painting. He just used what he had nearby. In this case, a cassette tape holder!

"I am a gardener with a paint brush whose loveliest flowers bloom on canvas.” Thomas Kinkade said. Like many artists, Thomas Kinkade drew inspiration and subject matter in gardens. As a young artist in 1985, Kinkade traveled to Claude Monet's legendary gardens in Giverny, France, where Monet found inspiration nearly a century earlier.

As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first exhibition of Impressionism, let's delve into Thomas Kinkade's deep admiration for the French Impressionists — Monet, Manet, and Renoir. Their style was a profound inspiration for him, leading to the creation of 71 paintings in that style from 1984 to 1990, all under the brush name Robert Girrard. This anonymity allowed him to push the boundaries of style and subject matter, to experiment with palette, brush strokes, and broken color, all of which have left an indelible mark on his world-renowned style.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: In 2007, while on a bike trip through the south of France with his wife, Nanette, Thomas Kinkade kept a sketchbook in which he painted watercolors of the places they visited. Here, he captured a lively street scene of the coastal city of Arles, famed for inspiring many of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the passing of the renowned artist Thomas Kinkade. His exceptional artistic talents and fearless spirit as an adventurer are etched in our memories. Regardless of the challenges, he approached every journey and project with unwavering determination. This captivating photograph was taken during a trip to Cotswolds, England, which Kinkade took with his wife and children. It is a testament to his commitment to his unyielding enthusiasm for new experiences and his steadfast devotion to incorporating his family into his artistic pursuits.