Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support public television amid funding cuts
Paintings by the beloved art instructor Bob Ross are set to be auctioned to support public television stations affected by funding cuts under the Trump administration. Approximately 30 artworks, primarily created during his TV show The Joy of Painting in the 1980s and 90s, will be auctioned by Bonhams starting in November.
Bob Ross Inc stated that the auction aims to ensure that Ross's legacy continues to aid the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades. This initiative follows Congress's decision to strip public broadcast funding, leaving around 330 PBS and NPR stations in need of alternative funding sources.
Ross's show experienced a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic, as viewers sought solace in his calming, paint-along lessons. Notably, he often referred to “misplaced brush strokes” as “happy accidents.” Ross passed away at the age of 52 in 1995.
The paintings have been donated to American Public Television, with all net proceeds going to local public TV stations across the nation. These funds will support various programs, including America's Test Kitchen, Julia Child's French Chef Classics, and This Old House.
In August, the auction of two of Ross's works set records, with one painting, Lake Below Snow-Capped Peaks and Cloudy Sky, selling for $114,800, and another, Lake Below Snow-Covered Mountains and Clear Sky, fetching $95,750.
Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc, reflected on the auction, noting that Ross would have been "quite shy" about his paintings selling for such high amounts. She emphasized that Ross was more interested in the process of painting and inspiring others to create their own art rather than focusing on the value of his finished works. "Truthfully, I can still hear him saying something like, 'You don't want my paintings, you want to create your own and hang them proudly on your wall,'" Kowalski added.
