Bob Ross Paintings Sell for Over $600,000 at Auction to Benefit Public TV
Three paintings by beloved artist and television personality Bob Ross sold for a combined total exceeding $600,000 yesterday at auction, with proceeds going to support public television stations facing funding challenges.
The live auction, held at Bonhams in Los Angeles, saw Ross’s serene snowscape “Winter’s Peace” – painted entirely during a 1993 episode of “The Joy of Painting” – fetch $318,000 from a phone bidder. “For a good cause — and you get the painting,” auctioneer Aaron Bastian said during the bidding, adding during a pause, “Bob would remind you that this is your world, and you can do anything you want.” “Home in the Valley,” a lush green landscape also from a 1993 episode, sold for $229,100, and “Cliffside” went for $114,800. The final prices include the buyer’s premium.
The auctions are part of a series of 30 Ross paintings being sold to benefit stations that rely on funding from American Public Television, which distributes programs like America’s Test Kitchen, “Julia Child’s French Chef Classics,” and “This Old House.” These stations, particularly smaller and rural ones, have been significantly impacted by recent cuts to federal funding; Congress eliminated $1.1 billion allocated to public broadcasting, affecting hundreds of PBS and NPR stations. Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., stated that the stations “have been the gateway for generations of viewers to discover not just Bob’s gentle teaching, but the transformative power of the arts.”
Ross, who died in 1995 at age 52 from complications related to cancer, gained widespread popularity for his calming demeanor and encouraging approach to painting, famously advocating for “happy accidents.” His shows experienced a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, demonstrating his enduring appeal. Bonhams will continue the auction series with sales in Marlborough, Massachusetts on January 27, followed by events in New York and London.
