$9.8 million for the painting that launched Bob Ross’ career? Not a just a ‘happy little accident,’ according to our director
With his calm demeanor, iconic hairstyle, positive outlook and the satisfying ASMR sounds of brush on canvas, Bob Ross has provided exactly the kind of content Americans have needed for the last 40 years. His soothing tone and supportive words transformed the artist of PBS fame into a cult phenomenon and collectors have clamored at the rare opportunity to acquire one of his paintings.
This is why our director, Lindsey Bourret, was not shocked to learn that Minnesota gallery Modern Artifact has listed the price of the first painting that he completed live on air for a whopping $9.8 million. She recently told Artnet News, “It is my understanding that the price was set at $9.8 million because the gallery might want to "hang onto" the painting and see it go into a museum exhibition, but I think they know what they have. A Bob Ross painting has the unique advantage of being categorized as both fine art and entertainment memorabilia. They are highly collectible, exceedingly hard to find (compounded by a market flooded with forgeries) and have unsurpassed intergenerational appeal. Gen X and Millennials remember catching him on PBS, Gen Z is discovering his work on Twitch and TikTok, and a recording of this particular episode has over 8.5 million views on YouTube. With all of the buzz that is being generated, I am confident that Modern Artifact will find a buyer for this painting.”
Kitschy at best, the piece which is titled A Walk in the Woods is one of thousands of mountainous landscapes that he created over the 11 years that his program “The Joy of Painting” was aired on PBS, but the scarcity and sentimental value that collectors attach to the work make the price, especially in the current environment of record-breaking sales, seem reasonable.
Bob Ross Inc., established by Annette and Walt Kowalski, who were close friends and business partners of Bob Ross., manages and oversees the vast collection of Bob Ross's original paintings, which are predominantly housed at their location in Virginia. Many others were given away to viewers or donated to charity, further reducing the number of available works, and the fact that the artist spent thousands of hours teaching others to paint like him means that the number of forgeries on the market is staggering. As a result, prospective buyers must exercise extreme caution and perform thorough due diligence when considering a purchase. If you are interested in purchasing (or have already purchased) a work of art attributed to Bob Ross and want to know if it’s authentic, please reach out to us by email at: info@authenticate-art.com.
