MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pondering Bob Ross’ Perspective
The skilled painter who democratized art, bringing it to the masses through his PBS show where he completed masterpieces in less than 30 minutes using only a large bristle brush, putty knife, and plenty of encouragement, probably wouldn’t have anticipated one of his works being listed for sale at almost $10 million.
Yet, that’s exactly the asking price for “A Walk in the Woods,” the very first of the over 400 paintings that Ross created on-air for his iconic TV series, “The Joy of Painting.”
“This is like the rookie card for Bob Ross,” says Ryan Nelson, the proud owner of Modern Artifact gallery in Minneapolis.
Growing up in a small town, Nelson discovered his love for art through Ross’ show and developed an affinity for his paintings. Although he acknowledges that the high price tag might deter potential buyers, he sees it as an opportunity to showcase the painting to a wider audience.
In his debut episode, where he painted “A Walk in the Woods,” Ross, with his trademark perm, full beard, and unbuttoned shirt, emphasized that painting didn’t have to be pretentious.
“We’ve been avoiding painting for so long because we’ve been told that we have to spend years in art school or be born with the talent of Michelangelo to create a painting,” Ross said. “But we want to show you that’s not true. You can paint a picture.”
Ross, who passed away in 1995, hosted “The Joy of Painting” from 1983 to 1994. In each episode, he engaged directly with viewers, inviting them to paint alongside him as he demonstrated how to create picturesque scenes of streams surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and quaint cabins and mills.
None of Ross’ paintings, including “A Walk in the Woods,” could be considered masterpieces. However, that wasn’t the purpose.
“This painting represents the people’s artist,” Nelson remarks. “It’s not an institution or a high-brow gallery telling you that Bob Ross is great. It’s the masses, the global population, affirming that Bob Ross is great.”
The first season of “The Joy of Painting” was filmed in Falls Creek, Virginia, and the painting from Ross’ debut episode was sold a few months later to raise funds for the local PBS station. It was purchased by a station volunteer for an undisclosed amount and displayed in her home for 39 years before contacting Nelson, who is an avid collector of Ross’ works.
Last year, Nelson acquired the painting and assigned it a “not for sale” price of $9.85 million, according to publicist Megan Hoffman.
Hoffman acknowledges that the asking price for “A Walk in the Woods” surpasses the sales of any other Ross painting. However, she emphasizes that the painting is unique, and Nelson is not in a rush to sell it. Ross’ popularity has soared in recent years, apparent by the 5.63 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, which features his shows.
“Ryan prefers to take the painting on tours to museums and other venues, allowing people to appreciate and enjoy it,” Hoffman explains. “While he will entertain offers, he’s not actively seeking a quick sale.”
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
