Next, here's our own Stephanie Martin's interview with Kim Perata, owner of the Thomas Kinkade of Napa Valley gallery. Edited transcript...

Stephanie Martin: You said you got into this because you were a huge Kinkade fan yourself. What is it about his work that draws you?

Kim Perata: My attraction to it was that they're paintings you want to be in. They're places you desire to be. You can sit and look at them and see something new constantly. They're very peaceful, relaxing, tranquil. Like my mom says, from her generation, they're very Norman Rockwell. He was Americana, they made you feel good, they uplifted you.

Stephanie Martin: How has the reaction been over the last couple of days?

Kim Perata: The outpouring of love and support has been incredible. People who collect Kinkades, they're a big family. We've gotten emails and phone calls from collectors all over the United States to say how sad they are and checking on us to see how we're doing. It's like losing a family member. An email from one of our collectors said they cherish the paintings they have in their home, but would gladly give them back in order for him to be able to paint again.

Stephanie Martin: Kinkade lived in the Bay Area, did you know him?

Kim Perata: Yes I did. I had many experiences with him at different events. He's just a great guy, a loving family man who painted because he loved it. He loved sharing his talent because he knew it made people happy.

He was always very accessible to the collectors. He would be at different events and functions, and he'd always interact with the collectors on a one on one basis. When the people lined up to have their pieces signed or sketched on the back, he would personalize them and connect with that collector at that moment.

Stephanie Martin: Are people buying more?

Kim Perata: Yes. We've had collectors coming in buying the pieces they were waiting for, thinking I'll wait and get it down the road. They're realizing there is no more down the road. They're coming in and finishing collections. We have people who have talked about getting a piece for a year or two and are deciding now is the time to get that piece that they love.

Stephanie Martin: Do they anticipate the value will appreciate over time?

Kim Perata: History shows that when an artist passes away, their art goes up in value. I can't believe that Tom's work would be any different than any other great artist who passes on. We sold a small original painting, 9 x 12, this morning, for over $30,000.

Thomas KinkadeThomas Kinkade

Two Views of the 'The Painter of Light': Thomas Kinkade Gallery Owner...and Joan Didion