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Bob Ross's Tv Masterpieces Generously Donated to the Public

Almost all of Bob Ross's landscape paintings, created for his PBS show 'The Joy of Painting,' are stored in a Smithsonian warehouse.

Fun Fact Image - Bob Ross's Tv Masterpieces Generously Donated to the Public

Bob Ross, the iconic artist who captivated many with his PBS program 'The Joy of Painting,' is known for making painting a landscape seem like anyone could do it. His soothing voice and effortlessly quick creation of nature scenes have etched his classes into American culture even years after they first aired. Born in 1942, Ross discovered while stationed in Alaska in the U.S. Air Force that he could recreate the Alaskan landscape on canvas and make money. On his television show, which ran from 1983 to 1994, he is estimated to have painted over 403 pieces. But where did those paintings land? Almost all are stored at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C., primarily unseen by fans or art enthusiasts. Unknown to many, following each episode taping, he'd paint three versions of the same artwork — one before shooting as a reference, another during the program, and the last one afterward, which was more detailed for his instructional books. Ross never sold these television artworks. Many were donated to PBS stations across the country to help raise funds for public broadcasting stations. Some found their home at The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History as part of a recent addition to its permanent collection—a gift from Bob Ross Inc., marking another milestone that secures Ross's place in American pop culture and vivid landscape imagination. References: (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/business/media/bob-ross-paintings-museum.html)

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