Bonhams will offer 30 original paintings by Bob Ross, together valued between $850,000 and $1.4 million, in a series of auctions benefiting public television stations across the United States. The sales are organized in partnership with American Public Television (APT) and will take place beginning November 11th, running through 2026. The profits will help stations affected by recent federal funding cuts in the United States.
Ross, a former drill sergeant from Florida, emerged as a national icon due to his instructional television show, The Joy of Painting. From 1983 to 1994, the series aired for 11 seasons on public television. The show encouraged audiences to follow Ross’s “wet-on-wet” painting technique. Ross often completed works in one sitting, calling mistakes “happy accidents.”
At Bonhams’s California and Western art auction in Los Angeles on November 11th, three of Ross’s works—Winter’s Peace (1993), Home in the Valley (1993), and Cliffside (1990)—will be offered. Winter’s Peace and Home in the Valley are estimated at $30,000 to $50,000 each. Ross created Winter’s Peace in a single take during an episode of The Joy of Painting. Similarly, Home in the Valley was completed on air in 26 minutes, without editing. Cliffside, an ocean scene from the instructional book The Joy of Painting Volume 20, is estimated at $25,000 to $45,000.
The remaining 27 paintings will be offered throughout 2026 at Bonhams locations in Los Angeles, Boston, and New York. All proceeds will go toward APT and PBS member stations, which faced budget shortfalls when the U.S. government cut $1.1 billion in federal funding. APT said it will direct its net proceeds from the auctions to help sustain programming and operations for affected stations.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Ross’s market has gained momentum. In August, two Ross paintings from the early 1990s—Lake Below Snow-Capped Peaks and Cloudy Sky (ca. 1990–91) and Lake Below Snow-Covered Mountains and Clear Sky (ca. 1990–91)—smashed their estimates when they sold for $114,800 and $95,750, respectively. Lake Below Snow-Capped Peaks holds the current auction record for the artist.
“Ross remains a beloved cultural icon whose work continues to spark joy among collectors and fans in the current landscape,” said Robin Starr, general manager of Bonhams Skinner. “Currently, Bonhams holds the world auction record for Ross’s work, and with his market steadily rising, the combination of live-on-air works on offer, and proceeds supporting public television, we’re expecting to see spirited bidding. We’re excited to build on this momentum and surpass previous records.”
