Lena Rivera
Bob Ross, the creator and host of the popular television show 'The Joy of Painting', died in 1995 due to complications from lymphoma. He was a painter and television personality who taught viewers painting techniques through his show. Ross's legacy continues to live on through the show's reruns and new episodes featuring paintings he completed before his death, as well as through his art supplies business, Bob Ross Inc. Ross's unique and accessible teaching style, along with his folksy and intimate speaking voice, endeared him to fans and continues to inspire new generations of artists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 October 1942 |
| Date of death | 4 July 1995 |
| Age at death | 52 |
| Place of death | New Smyrna Beach, Florida |
| Cause of death | Complications from lymphoma |
| Occupation | Painter, television personality |
| Notable works | The Joy of Painting, The Best of the Joy of Painting, Bob Ross Inc. |
| Notable techniques | Wet-on-wet oil painting |
| Notable associates | Walt Kowalski, Annette Kowalski, Joan Kowalski, Nicholas Hankins, Bill Alexander |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Bob Ross's death
Bob Ross, the creator and host of the beloved television show "The Joy of Painting," passed away on July 4, 1995, at the age of 52. His death was caused by complications from lymphoma, a type of cancer, which he had been diagnosed with several years prior.
Ross's legacy as an artist and television personality endures to this day. He is remembered for his distinctive permed afro and denim outfits, as well as his soothing voice and folksy, encouraging demeanor on "The Joy of Painting." The show, which ran from 1983 to 1994, featured Ross teaching landscape oil painting techniques, often completing a painting within a single half-hour episode. He popularized the wet-on-wet oil painting technique, in which oil paint is applied on top of still-wet paint, creating detailed landscapes with a housepainting brush and palette knife.
Ross's approachable and intimate teaching style, combined with his references to ""happy little" trees and clouds, endeared him to fans around the world. He also marketed his painting technique through instructional books, videos, and a line of art supplies, establishing a successful company, Bob Ross Inc. Despite painting an estimated 30,000 paintings during his lifetime, original Ross paintings are scarce on the art market and frequently sell for over $10,000.
At the time of his death, Ross had prepared seven paintings for a potential 32nd season of "The Joy of Painting." In 2024, new episodes featuring these paintings and hosted by certified Ross instructor Nicholas Hankins were released, titled "The Joy of Painting with Nicholas Hankins: Bob Ross's Unfinished Season." Ross's legacy continues to inspire new generations of artists, with his instructional show available on streaming platforms such as YouTube and Netflix.
Painted Lady Caterpillars: Thistle or Hollyhock?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Joy of Painting episodes
Bob Ross was the host of "The Joy of Painting", a television show where he instructed viewers on his quick, wet-on-wet oil painting technique. During each half-hour segment, Ross would paint a scene without sketching it first, creating the image directly from his imagination in real-time. He would also explain his limited paint palette and deconstruct the process into simple steps. Ross painted an estimated 30,000 paintings during his lifetime, and despite the high supply, his original paintings are scarce on the art market, with sale prices frequently topping $10,000.
Ross used his show to promote a line of art supplies and class recordings, building what would become a $15-million business, Bob Ross Inc. Ross also appeared on other television shows to promote his painting techniques and hardcover book, "The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross". He appeared on The Joan Rivers Show in 1989, and in 1994, he appeared on the Phil Donahue Show, where he took five audience members on stage to paint.
Ross's son, Robert Stephen "Steve" Ross, who is also a painter, appeared on "The Joy of Painting". In the final episode of Season 1, Steve read a series of general "how-to" questions sent in by viewers, which Bob answered one by one, technique by technique, while completing a painting.
Before his death in 1995, Ross had completed seven paintings to be used in Season 32 of "The Joy of Painting". These works were stored away for almost three decades until certified Bob Ross instructor Nicholas Hankins recreated them for "The Joy of Painting with Nicholas Hankins: Bob Ross' Unfinished Season". In addition to painting Ross' works, Hankins also used six of his own paintings in this new iteration of the show.
"The Joy of Painting with Nicholas Hankins: Bob Ross' Unfinished Season" allows a new generation to learn how to paint using the Bob Ross method and continues the legacy of Ross' beloved show.
Removing Paint Roller from Handle: Quick and Easy Steps
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Bob Ross's legacy
Bob Ross, the television painter known for his "dandelion-fuzz hair" and "pizza-delivery approach" to painting landscapes, passed away in 1995. However, his legacy continues to thrive through various mediums and platforms, almost three decades after his death.
Ross's instructional television program, "The Joy of Painting", which aired from 1983 to 1994, played a significant role in establishing his legacy. The show, which promoted a line of art supplies and class recordings, helped build a $15-million business empire, Bob Ross Inc. The company, now owned by the Kowalskis, continues to generate revenue through the sale of art supplies and class recordings taught by artists trained in Ross's methods.
Ross's unique painting style and soothing presence on screen also contributed to his enduring popularity. He painted directly from his imagination, without sketching, using a quick, wet-on-wet oil painting technique. His belief that "we don't make mistakes, just happy accidents" resonated with viewers, encouraging countless amateurs to take up painting. Ross's gentle and kind-hearted nature, combined with his soft voice and slow pace of speech, created a calming atmosphere that captivated audiences.
In addition to his television show, Ross promoted his painting techniques through hardcover books and personal appearances. He made several appearances on popular television shows, including The Joan Rivers Show and the Phil Donahue Show, where he painted alongside the hosts and audience members. Ross's fame extended beyond traditional television, attracting a huge following on the streaming platform Twitch, where fans can watch and comment on his paintings in real time.
Ross's artistic legacy is also evident in the numerous paintings he left behind, estimated at around 30,000. While these paintings rarely go on display, exhibitions of his work have drawn thousands of devoted fans from all walks of life. The scarcity of his original paintings on the art market has led to high sale prices, with his works frequently topping $10,000.
Bob Ross's enduring popularity has inspired new generations to learn his painting techniques, with a PBS series, "The Joy of Painting with Nicholas Hankins: Bob Ross' Unfinished Season", teaching his methods using some of his previously unseen work. Additionally, a Netflix documentary, "Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed", explores the painter's life and the disputes that erupted after his death.
Through his art, his instructional television show, and his calming presence, Bob Ross has left an indelible mark on popular culture, with his legacy continuing to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide.
The Death of Marat: A Political Murder
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Bob Ross's personal life
Bob Ross, born Robert Norman Ross, was born on 29 October 1942 in Daytona Beach, Florida, and grew up in Orlando. He was the only child of Jack and Ollie Ross. Ross dropped out of high school after the ninth grade and worked with his father, who was a carpenter. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he was stationed in Alaska and took his first painting class. He served in the Air Force for 20 years, from 1961 until 1981, and during this time, he also worked as a bartender and sold his landscape paintings to tourists.
After leaving the Air Force, Ross attended various art schools and painting classes, where he learned the "`wet-on-wet`" painting technique from William Alexander. He began teaching this technique to others, including Annette Kowalski, who became his business partner. Together, they created Bob Ross Inc., a company that sold instructional books, videos, and art supplies, and offered painting workshops. Ross also had a successful television career, hosting the show "The Joy of Painting" from 1983 to 1994, which made him a household name. He was known for his calming demeanour, motivational approach, and unique teaching style, which promoted individual expression and a sense of peace through art.
Ross was married three times and had two children. He married his first wife, Vivian Ridge, in 1965, and they had a son, Robert Stephen "Steve" Ross, who also became a painter and appeared on "The Joy of Painting". Ross and Ridge divorced in 1977, allegedly due to Ross's infidelity. Ross's second wife, Jane, died of cancer in 1992, and he married for the third time in 1995, two months before his death, to Lynda Brown.
Ross was a heavy smoker and experienced various health issues throughout his life, including two heart attacks and two bouts of cancer. He was diagnosed with lymphoma several years before his death but kept it a secret from the public. Ross died on 4 July 1995, at the age of 52, in Orlando, Florida, due to complications from lymphoma. Despite his early death, Ross's legacy continues to flourish, with reruns of his show gaining popularity on streaming platforms and his artwork being featured in museums.
Manifest Destiny Painting: A Historical Interpretation
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Joy of Painting's influence
Bob Ross, the creator and host of the show "The Joy of Painting", passed away in 1995. However, his legacy continues to live on through the show's influence on art and popular culture.
"The Joy of Painting" was an American half-hour instructional television show that ran from 1983 to 1994. In each episode, Ross taught viewers landscape oil painting techniques, creating a painting from start to finish in real-time. He became known for his calm demeanour, soft voice, and encouraging attitude, often coining memorable phrases such as "We don't make mistakes, we just have happy accidents." The show also featured guest appearances from other painters, including Ross's son Steve, who was a certified Ross instructor.
The show was incredibly popular, with nearly 300 episodes airing in the United States on PBS and in Canada on CBC Television by the early 1990s. It also began broadcasting in various countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and many others. In 2015, all 403 episodes were added to the official Bob Ross YouTube channel, and the show has since been made available on other streaming platforms such as Netflix, Tubi, and The Roku Channel.
The show's influence extends beyond its initial run, with Twitch reporting 5.6 million viewers during a nine-day marathon stream of all 31 seasons in 2015. The show has also been referenced and parodied in popular culture, including in the 2018 film "Deadpool 2" and on the children's series "The Adventures of Elmer and Friends". Additionally, Ross used the show to promote a line of art supplies and class recordings, building a $15 million business, Bob Ross Inc.
The Joy of Painting has had a lasting impact on the art world and popular culture, with Ross's instructional and entertaining approach to painting continuing to inspire and entertain audiences long after his death.
Homeowners' Lawn Painting: A Colorful US Trend
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, Bob Ross passed away on July 4, 1995, in Orlando, Florida, due to complications from lymphoma.
Yes, Bob Ross had two children. He had his first child from a relationship as a teenager, and his second child, Robert Stephen "Steve" Ross, with his first wife, Vivian Ridge. Steve is also a talented painter and appeared on 'The Joy of Painting'.
'The Joy of Painting' is available on various streaming platforms, including YouTube, Netflix, Tubi, and The Roku Channel.
