What would Bob Ross think?
The artist who brought painting to the people, with works completed for PBS viewers in less than a half-hour with little more than a large bristle brush, putty knife and plenty of encouragement, certainly wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have envisioned one of his works going up for sale for nearly $10 million.
But that害羞草研究所檚 the price a Minneapolis gallery is asking for 害羞草研究所淎 Walk in the Woods,害羞草研究所� the first of more than 400 paintings that Ross produced on-air for his TV series 害羞草研究所淭he Joy of Painting.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t is season one, episode one of what you would call the rookie card for Bob Ross,害羞草研究所� Ryan Nelson, who owns the gallery, Modern Artifact, said of the work created in the show害羞草研究所檚 debut, which aired Jan. 11, 1983.
Growing up in a small town, Nelson said he was introduced to art through Ross害羞草研究所� show and loves his paintings. He doesn害羞草研究所檛 expect a quick sale given the high asking price, which he sees as an opportunity to display the painting for a larger audience.
On that first show where he painted 害羞草研究所淎 Walk in the Woods,害羞草研究所� Ross 害羞草研究所� sporting his beloved perm, full beard and unbuttoned shirt 害羞草研究所� stressed that painting didn害羞草研究所檛 need to be pretentious.
害羞草研究所淲e have avoided painting for so long because I think all of our lives we害羞草研究所檝e been told that you have to go to school half your life, maybe even have to be blessed by Michelangelo at birth, to ever be able to paint a picture,害羞草研究所� Ross said. 害羞草研究所淎nd here, we want to show you that that害羞草研究所檚 not true. That you can paint a picture.害羞草研究所�
Ross, who died in 1995, hosted the show from 1983 until 1994. In each episode, he would speak directly to viewers whom he encouraged to paint with him as he created idealized scenes of streams backed by mountains, waterfalls and rustic cabins and mills 害羞草研究所� all done very quickly.
None of Ross害羞草研究所� paintings, including 害羞草研究所淎 Walk in the Woods,害羞草研究所� would be confused for masterpieces. But that wasn害羞草研究所檛 the point.
害羞草研究所淲hat this piece represents is the people害羞草研究所檚 artist,害羞草研究所� Nelson said. 害羞草研究所淭his isn害羞草研究所檛 an institution that害羞草研究所檚 telling you that Bob Ross is great. It害羞草研究所檚 not some high-brow gallery telling you that Bob Ross is great. This is the masses, the population in the world that are saying that Bob Ross is great.害羞草研究所�
The first season of 害羞草研究所淭he Joy of Painting害羞草研究所� was filmed in Falls Creek, Virginia, and the painting from Ross害羞草研究所� first show was sold months later to raise funds for the local PBS station. A volunteer at the station bought the painting for an undisclosed price and hung it in her home for 39 years until getting in touch with Nelson, who has bought and sold more than 100 of Ross害羞草研究所� works.
Nelson bought the painting last year and then gave it a 害羞草研究所渘ot for sale害羞草研究所� price of $9.85 million, said publicist Megan Hoffman.
Hoffman said the asking price is far more than any other Ross painting has sold for, but 害羞草研究所淎 Walk in the Woods害羞草研究所� is unique and Nelson isn害羞草研究所檛 looking for a quick sale. She notes that Ross害羞草研究所� popularity has soared in recent years, with 5.63 million subscribers to a YouTube channel featuring his shows.
害羞草研究所淩yan would prefer to take it out, tour it around to museums and things like that so people can enjoy it and appreciate it,害羞草研究所� Hoffman said. 害羞草研究所淗e will take offers but he害羞草研究所檚 not in a hurry to sell it.害羞草研究所�
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