Bonhams has been consigned to sell 30 original paintings by Bob Ross, in a series of sales benefitting public broadcasting stations in the US affected by cuts in federal funding.
The group of paintings has an estimated total value of $850,000 to $1.4 million, according to Bonhams.
The landscape works by the American artist and host of the beloved show “The Joy of Painting” are being sold on behalf of American Public Television (APT). The nonprofit organization and programming distributor has pledged it will direct all of its net proceeds to support APT and PBS public television stations across the US.
Three paintings will be offered during a sale of California & Western Art on November 11 in Los Angeles. The other 27 artworks will be offered throughout auctions scheduled next year at Bonhams in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles.
The first three paintings that will be auctioned on November 11 are Winter’s Peace (1993), Home in the Valley (1993) and Cliffside (1990). Winter’s Peace and Home in the Valley have an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000; while Cliffside has an estimate of $25,000 to $45,000.
Notably, Ross painted all of Winter’s Piece entirely while on the air for “The Joy of Painting”, with no editing from start to finish. The painting features vibrantly saturated colors, which “Ross intentionally enhanced” for his television program, “ensuring they would appear especially vivid and appealing to viewers watching at home”, according to a Bonhams press release.
Ross “dedicated his life to making art accessible to everyone,” Bob Ross Inc. president Joan Kowalski, told the Associated Press. “This auction ensures his legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades.”
“We’re honored to offer this exceptional selection of 30 original Bob Ross paintings through Bonhams’ series of upcoming sales,” Bonhams Skinner general manager Robin Starr said in a press statement. “Ross remains a beloved cultural icon whose work continues to spark joy among collectors and fans in the current landscape. Currently, Bonhams holds the world auction record for Ross’ 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.”
Ross’ program “The Joy of Painting” aired on public television from 1983 to 1994, turning the host into an cultural icon through his soothing voice, gentle encouragement, and “wet-on-wet” oil painting technique for landscapes of mountain vistas and lake scenes. The artist and TV host died in 1995 due to complications from cancer.
His calm and encouraging programming—well-known for its paintings of “happy little clouds and trees” and Ross’ philosophy of “no mistakes, only happy accidents”—saw a resurgence in popularity during lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, Congress cut $1.1 billion in funds previously allocated to public broadcasting. The move caused 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations scrambling to finding alternative sources of funding, including emergency fund drives. Some stations have laid off staff and made cuts to programming, according to the Associated Press.
In August, Bonhams sold two early 1990s mountain-and-lake scenes by Ross belonging to a private collection as part of its American Art online sale. Lake Below Snow-Capped Peaks and Cloudy Sky (circa 1990-91), sold for $114,800; and Lake Below Snow-Covered Mountains and Clear Sky (circa 1990-91) sold for $95,750 with fees, both more than double their estimates.
