3 Bob Ross paintings sell for over $600,000 to support public television

The idea for the campaign emerged after the Trump administration’s $1.1 billion cut in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — which left roughly 330 PBS stations in need of alternative funding. Ross, who died in 1995 of complications from lymphoma, created more than 30,000 paintings during his lifetime — roughly 1,143 of which were done for the filming of the show, per NPR. While painting landscapes live during 30-minute segments, Ross spoke with the audience using signature phrases such as creating “happy little trees” and reminding viewers, “We don’t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.” He did not receive a salary for the show, but the Bob Ross Company became successful by selling painting supplies, workshops and educational videos, and its revenue reached $15 million in 1992. Ross “dedicated his life to making art accessible to everyone,” Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., said in an October statement. “This auction ensures his legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades.”