“It’s the IMPERFECTIONS that make something
BEAUTIFUL, that’s what makes it DIFFERENT and UNIQUE from everything else.” This quote is from the late famed artist Bob Ross.
Ross helped pioneer a concept called “wet on wet” painting to the masses. You didn’t need years of training. Bob believed everyone was an artist. Within 26 minutes, Ross would go from a blank canvas to a completed work.
His show the “Joy of Painting” on PBS made him a household name. His micro-weird perm and beard made him unforgettable. [Sidebar: the perm was cheaper than getting frequent haircuts. He didn’t like it, but couldn’t change it because it was part of the company logo]
Ross passed away in 1995 and is still a popular figure today. He has nearly 4.7 million YouTube subscribers.
You’d think that people would collect Bob Ross paintings? You’d be wrong.
In a classic example of withholding, you can’t buy a Bob Ross painting. Over 1,000 of his landscapes for the show (he did 3 per episode) are located in Herndon, Virginia. They are not for sale, but you can buy paint, books, and other collectibles from BobRoss[dot]com.
There is one exception. In 2019, the Smithsonian acquired many of his paintings for its permanent collection. Call it a happy little accident.
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