Priya Kapoor
Bob Ross is one of the most iconic American painters of the 20th century, best known for his perm, personality, and landscape paintings. During his 11-year career hosting the PBS show The Joy of Painting, Ross is estimated to have painted approximately 1,143 paintings, three of the same painting per episode. In 2019, The New York Times revealed that 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. The paintings are not for sale, and the Kowalskis have no intention of selling them, as that “wasn’t really Bob’s thing.”
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of paintings | 1,143 (some sources state over 1,000 or 30,000) |
| Location | Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. in Herndon, Virginia |
| Stored in | Stacked in cardboard boxes in a warehouse |
| For sale | No |
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What You'll Learn
The majority are in Virginia
Bob Ross is one of the most iconic American painters of the 20th century, best known for his perm, personality, and landscape paintings. He created and hosted the instructional television program "The Joy of Painting", which aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS in the United States and similar channels in Canada, Latin America, Europe, and elsewhere. During his lifetime, Ross produced tens of thousands of paintings, with estimates ranging from 1,143 to 30,000.
The majority of Bob Ross's paintings are located in Virginia, specifically at the headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. in Herndon. The company, which Ross co-founded, became the sole property of Annette Kowalski and her husband, Walt, after Ross's death in 1995. The paintings are stored in cardboard boxes inside the company's nondescript office building and are not for sale.
The Kowalskis have stated that they have no intention of selling the paintings, as that "wasn't really Bob's thing". In a video interview with the New York Times, Joan Kowalski, the president of Bob Ross Inc. and daughter of Annette, said, "We've never really talked about it." The Kowalskis have been criticized for not properly storing the paintings, with some questioning whether they are being adequately preserved.
While the majority of Ross's paintings are in Virginia, a few have ended up in the hands of private collectors and museums. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, for example, acquired four paintings with the help of Bob Ross Inc., including the book version of "Blue Ridge Falls" and all three versions of "On a Clear Day". However, due to the nature of Ross's agreement with Bob Ross Inc., which classified the paintings he created for TV as "work for hire", the company maintained ownership of the majority of his work. As a result, the majority of Bob Ross's paintings remain safely tucked away in Virginia, under the watchful eye of the Kowalskis.
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They're stored in cardboard boxes
Bob Ross, the painter and art instructor, is known for his iconic show, "The Joy of Painting". During his 11-year career, Ross is estimated to have painted approximately 1,143 paintings, with three versions of each painting—one before, one during, and one after the show.
The majority of Ross' paintings are stored in the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc., under the watch of Ross' longtime business partner, Annette Kowalski, and her daughter, Joan, the president of the company. These paintings are not for sale, as that "wasn't really Bob's thing". They are carefully stacked in numbered cardboard boxes in a warehouse, with no plans for display or auction.
The warehouse is described as a fully functional office, with many of Ross' paintings adorning the walls, alongside large-than-life photos of him holding woodland creatures. The paintings in the office have been there since the '90s, with landscapes, waterfalls, trees, and cabins overlooking lakes, all featuring in his work.
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History acquired some of Ross' work, including the book version of "Blue Ridge Falls" and all three versions of "On a Clear Day". The museum also acquired various Ross-related memorabilia, including brushes stored in an old ammunition box and fan letters.
While the paintings may not be for sale, the legacy of Bob Ross lives on, with his instructional show, calming demeanour, and encouraging words inspiring a generation of artists to pick up a paintbrush.
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They're not for sale
Bob Ross is one of the most iconic American painters of the 20th century, best known for his perm, personality, and landscape paintings. During his 11-year career hosting the PBS show "The Joy of Painting," Ross is estimated to have painted approximately 1,143 paintings—three of the same painting per episode.
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.
Despite the high demand for his artwork, Ross's paintings are not for sale. According to the New York Times, the Kowalskis have no intention of selling the paintings, as that "wasn't really Bob's thing." Joan Kowalski told the New York Times during a video interview, "We've never really talked about it. It actually has never really occurred to us."
Instead of selling his paintings, Ross used his television show to promote a line of art supplies and class recordings, building what would become a $15-million business—Bob Ross Inc. After his death in 1995, ownership of the company, along with the paintings, was passed to the Kowalskis.
While the paintings are not on public display, many of them pepper the walls of the Bob Ross Inc. offices, alongside larger-than-life photos of Ross holding a baby raccoon, one of his many treasured woodland creatures. The paintings in the halls have been there since the '90s, and while there is no one painting that stands out as a magnum opus, the collection as a whole is impressive, a testament to consistency, replicability, and dedication.
So, while you may not be able to purchase a Bob Ross original, you can still enjoy his artwork through the many books, videos, and merchandise he created, as well as the paintings that hang in the offices of Bob Ross Inc., a lasting legacy of his passion for art and his desire to inspire others to create.
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They're not on display
Bob Ross is one of the most iconic American painters of the 20th century, best known for his perm, personality, and landscape paintings. He is estimated to have painted approximately 1,143 paintings during his 11-year career of hosting the PBS show "The Joy of Painting".
The majority of Ross's paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. in Herndon, Virginia, under the watchful eye of Ross's longtime business partner, Annette Kowalski, and her daughter, Joan, the president of the company. They are not on display but are stacked carefully in numbered cardboard boxes.
The Kowalskis have no intention of selling the paintings. "It actually has never really occurred to us," Joan told the New York Times. "We've never really talked about it." This is despite the fact that Ross's paintings are in high demand, and when they do appear for sale, they often fetch $10k+ and attract dozens of bids.
A few of Ross's paintings can be found on the walls of the Bob Ross Inc. offices, alongside larger-than-life photos of him holding a baby raccoon, one of his many treasured woodland creatures. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History also acquired some of Ross's work, opting for quintessential examples of the painter's typical themes and wet-on-wet style.
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They're in a warehouse
Bob Ross, the painter and art instructor, created and hosted the popular television show, "The Joy of Painting". During his 11-year career, Ross is estimated to have painted approximately 1,143 paintings, with some estimates placing the number at over 30,000. The majority of these paintings are located in a warehouse in Herndon, Virginia, at the headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. The warehouse is described as a nondescript office building, and the paintings are stored in cardboard boxes, carefully stacked and labelled.
Bob Ross Inc. is owned and operated by Annette Kowalski and her daughter, Joan, who inherited the company and the paintings after Ross's death in 1995. The Kowalskis have stated that they have no intention of selling the paintings, as that "wasn't really Bob's thing". In an interview, Joan Kowalski said, "We've never really talked about it." This decision has made Ross's paintings scarce on the open market, despite high demand from collectors and fans.
The warehouse is not open to the public, but some of Ross's paintings can be found hanging in the offices of Bob Ross Inc. These paintings have been on display since the '90s, and while there is no single painting that stands out as a magnum opus, the collection as a whole is impressive. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has also acquired four of Ross's paintings, along with various memorabilia, including brushes, palettes, and fan letters.
The discovery of the warehouse filled with Ross's paintings has sparked interest and intrigue. One article describes the process of uncovering the paintings, with the author expressing their awe at the value of the artwork and the need to ensure its safekeeping. The paintings are not stored in a climate-controlled environment, but the Kowalskis and Bob Ross Inc. staff are dedicated to their preservation and security.
The warehouse in Virginia houses a valuable collection of Bob Ross's artwork, carefully preserved and protected by Bob Ross Inc. While the majority of his paintings are stored there, a select few have made their way into museums, providing the public with a glimpse of Ross's artistic legacy.
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Frequently asked questions
The majority of Bob Ross' paintings are stored at the Virginia headquarters of Bob Ross Inc. in Herndon, Virginia.
The paintings are not on display but are stacked carefully in numbered cardboard boxes. However, many of Ross' paintings pepper the walls of the Bob Ross Inc. offices.
Bob Ross painted more than 1,000 paintings for his television show, The Joy of Painting, and over 30,000 paintings in his lifetime.
No, none of Bob Ross' paintings are for sale. The owners of the paintings, the Kowalskis, have no intention of selling them as that "wasn't really Bob's thing".
Some of Bob Ross' famous paintings include Shades of Gray, Blue Ridge Falls, and On a Clear Day.
