I met Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light, in 2001, and at the time it would have been nearly impossible to imagine the financial straits, including bankruptcy, that he's in today. In 2001, he was the Painter of Incredible Profits; everything he touched—limited edition prints, sculpture, mousepads, cross-stitch kits, housing developments—was sought after and striven for and bought. He was in a great mood when we met, and, even though I had been offered one hour and not a minute more of his t...