Isabella Flores
Bob Ross was an American painter and television personality, best known for his popular PBS television show, The Joy of Painting, which made him a household name. During his lifetime, Ross produced an estimated 30,000 paintings, yet his artwork rarely appears for sale and is difficult to acquire. So, what happened to all of Bob Ross' paintings?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of paintings created during his lifetime | 30,000 |
| Number of paintings created for his TV show | 1,143 |
| Whereabouts of the paintings | Most of his paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. A few are owned by the Smithsonian, and some are in the hands of charity or PBS. |
| Sale price of the paintings | Thousands of dollars, frequently topping $10,000 |
| Reason for the scarcity of his paintings on the market | Ross himself was opposed to having his work turned into financial instruments. |
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What You'll Learn
- Bob Ross's paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc
- Ross produced an estimated 30,000 paintings during his lifetime
- Ross sold paintings of the Alaskan landscape to tourists
- Ross's paintings are scarce on the art market, with sale prices frequently topping $10,000
- The Smithsonian acquired two of Ross's paintings, his easel, palette, and brushes
Bob Ross's paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc
Bob Ross was an American painter and television personality, best known for his popular PBS television show, 'The Joy of Painting', which ran from 1983 to 1994. Over the course of his career, Ross is estimated to have painted around 30,000 paintings, including the ones he created for his TV show. Ross painted prolifically while serving in the military and sold paintings of the Alaskan landscape to tourists. He also sold thousands of paintings before gaining fame.
Ross's paintings are notoriously difficult to find on the open market. This is because Ross himself was opposed to having his work turned into financial instruments. Ross did not sell his paintings and instead gave them away to charity or PBS. Ross's artwork was largely an afterthought, as he used his television show to promote art supplies, instructional books and videos, and merchandise. By 1991, Bob Ross Inc. was a $15 million enterprise.
A recent investigation by the New York Times revealed that the majority of Ross's paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. under the watchful eye of Ross's longtime business partner, Annette Kowalski, and her daughter Joan, the president of the company. The Kowalskis have no intention of selling the paintings, as that "wasn't really Bob's thing".
While most of Ross's paintings are kept at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc., a few have reached the open market. "A Walk in the Woods", Ross's first television painting, was sold in a pledge drive offering shortly after the first season aired. In 2020, the Smithsonian acquired two of Ross's paintings, as well as his easel, palette, and brushes.
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Ross produced an estimated 30,000 paintings during his lifetime
Bob Ross was an American painter and television personality. His popular PBS television show, The Joy of Painting, made him a household name as the painting teacher to the masses. Ross, who was a former Air Force member, learned the wet-on-wet (alla prima) oil painting technique from television painting instructor Bill Alexander. This technique involves applying oil paint on top of still-wet oil paint, allowing for a quick composition.
Ross himself was opposed to his paintings becoming financial instruments. When Ross died in 1995, most of his paintings ended up in the hands of charities or PBS. The majority of his paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc., the company he founded to sell art supplies, instructional books and videos, and to offer painting workshops. Bob Ross Inc. continues to own many of the paintings he created for The Joy of Painting.
While Ross's paintings rarely appear on the open market, they often fetch prices of over $10,000. In 2020, the Smithsonian acquired two of Ross's paintings, as well as his easel, palette, and brushes.
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Ross sold paintings of the Alaskan landscape to tourists
Bob Ross was a prolific painter, producing an estimated 30,000 paintings during his lifetime. Despite this unusually high supply of original paintings, Ross's works are scarce on the art market. When they do appear, they often fetch $10,000 or more and attract many bids. The major auction houses have never sold any of his paintings.
Ross's time in the Air Force heavily influenced his painting career. He said of Alaska, "it has some of the most beautiful mountain scenery there that I'd ever seen". He would continue to depict Alaskan settings throughout his career, even after leaving the Air Force. For Ross, painting was a way to escape the disciplinarian role he occupied on the base, and he would later adopt a kind and gentle approach as a painting instructor.
Ross's paintings were largely an afterthought to him. He did not want his work to be turned into financial instruments, and as such, many of the paintings he created for his TV show, 'The Joy of Painting', are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. The company, which Ross partially owned, sells art supplies, workshops, instructional videos, and merchandise, but not his paintings.
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Ross's paintings are scarce on the art market, with sale prices frequently topping $10,000
Bob Ross is known to have painted tens of thousands of paintings during his lifetime, with estimates ranging from 1,000 to 30,000. Despite this unusually high supply of original paintings, Ross's works are scarce on the art market. The artist himself was opposed to his paintings becoming financial instruments, and most of his paintings ended up in the hands of charities or PBS after his death. Bob Ross Inc., which the artist partially owned, continues to own many of the paintings he created for his television show, "The Joy of Painting". The company, now owned by the Kowalskis, has no intention of selling the paintings, as that "wasn't really Bob's thing".
The scarcity of Ross's paintings on the market has led to high demand and sale prices frequently topping $10,000. The pop culture element of his work boosts its desirability, with some collectors considering a Bob Ross original the "crown jewel" of their collection. The artist's work is often classified as a hybrid between fine art and entertainment memorabilia, with a unique story that attracts buyers.
While Ross did not sell his paintings, he monetised his work through Bob Ross Inc., selling art supplies, instructional books and videos, and offering painting workshops. By 1991, the company was valued at $15 million, and it continues to be profitable in the 21st century.
Despite the majority of Ross's paintings being stored away from the public, a few have surfaced for sale in recent years. "A Walk in the Woods", Ross's first television painting, has been sold multiple times and is currently in the hands of a Minnesota-based art dealer. In 2020, the Smithsonian acquired two of Ross's paintings, along with his easel, palette, brushes, and other objects related to "The Joy of Painting".
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The Smithsonian acquired two of Ross's paintings, his easel, palette, and brushes
Bob Ross was an American painter and television personality. His popular PBS television show, The Joy of Painting, made him a household name as the painting teacher to the masses. Over the course of his career, Ross painted tens of thousands of paintings. Despite the unusually high supply of original paintings, Ross's artwork is scarce on the art market.
Ross himself was opposed to having his work turned into financial instruments. In a 1991 interview with the New York Times, Ross claimed he had made over 30,000 paintings since he was 18 years old. When Ross died in 1995, most of his paintings ended up in the hands of charities or PBS. Ross did not want his paintings to become a commodity, and as a result, his paintings rarely come up for sale.
Ross's paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. under the watchful eye of Ross's longtime business partner, Annette Kowalski, and her daughter Joan, the president of the company. Bob Ross Inc. owns many of the paintings he created for The Joy of Painting.
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Frequently asked questions
The majority of Ross' paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. under the watchful eye of Ross' longtime business partner Annette Kowalski and her daughter Joan, the president of the company.
Bob Ross original paintings are scarce on the art market. However, when they do appear, they often fetch $10,000+ and attract dozens of bids.
Ross himself was opposed to having his work turned into financial instruments. He never wanted his paintings to be a commodity.
