Public television stations to benefit from the Bob Ross painting auction

Los Angeles (AP) – Thirty paintings created by bushy hair and with a soft voice Bob Ross Will soon be auctioned to defray programming costs for public television stations with federal funding discounts.

Ross, a pillar of public television in the 1980s and 90s, “devoted his life to making art accessible to all,” said Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc. “This auction guarantees that her heritage continues to support the very medium which has brought her joy and creativity in American houses for decades.”

Bonhams in Los Angeles at auction three of Ross paintings on November 11. Other auctions will follow in London, New York, Boston and online. All profits are promised to stations that use the content of the American Public Television distributor.

The idea is to help stations in need with license costs that allow them to show popular programs that include “the best of the joy of painting”, based on the Ross program, “America’s Test Kitchen”, “Julia Child’s Chief Classics” and “This Old House”. Small rural stations are particularly disputed.

As desired by President Donald Trump, the congress eliminated $ 1.1 billion allocated to public broadcasting, leaving 330 pbs and 246 NPR stations To find alternative funding sources. Many have launched readers of emergency funds. Some were forced to dismiss staff and make programming cuts.

The beloved Ross died in 1995 of cancer complications after 11 years of production with “the joy of painting”. Its practical program has been shown on stations in the United States and around the world. The former air force sergeant known for his calm behavior and encouraging words experienced a resurgence of popularity during locking of the Pandemic COVID-19.

Ross often spoke while he was working on the air of painting small clouds and happy trees, and making no mistakes, only “happy accidents”.

The thirty paintings to be sold at the auction of the Ross career and include landscapes representing serene mountain views and lake scenes, its signature aesthetics. He created most of the 30 on the air, each in less than 30 minutes, which was the duration of a single episode.

Bonhams sold two mountain and lakes of the early 1990s in August for $ 114,800 and $ 95,750. The auctions of the 30 paintings that will soon be sold have a total value estimated at $ 850,000 at $ 1.4 million, said Bonhams.