Bonhams has been commissioned to sell 30 original paintings by Bob Ross in a series of sales to benefit NPR, which has been hit by federal funding cuts.
The total value of the paintings is estimated at $850,000 to $1.4 million, according to Bonhams.
A landscape work by the American artist and host of the beloved program “The Joy of Painting” is for sale on behalf of American Public Television (APT). The nonprofit organization and programming distributor has committed all net proceeds to support APT and PBS public television stations across the United States.
The three paintings will be on display at the California & Western Art auction in Los Angeles on November 11. Another 27 works of art will be auctioned next year at Bonhams auction houses in New York, Boston and Los Angeles.
The first three paintings to be auctioned on November 11 are winter peace (1993), valley home (1993) and cliff edge (1990). winter peace and valley home Estimated value is $30,000 to $50,000; Cliffside is valued at $25,000 to $45,000.
It is worth noting that Roth painted all winter works It took place entirely as The Joy of Painting aired, without any editing from beginning to end. According to a Bonhams press release, the painting features vibrant, saturated colors that “Ross deliberately enhanced” for his television shows “to ensure they appear particularly vivid and attractive to viewers watching at home.”
Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., told The New York Times that Ross “dedicated his life to making art accessible to everyone.” Associated Press. “This sale ensures that his legacy continues to support the medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades.”
Robin Starr, managing director of Bonhams Skinner, said in a press statement: “We are honored to offer a selection of 30 original Bob Ross paintings through Bonhams’ upcoming auction series.” “Roth remains a beloved cultural icon and his work continues to delight collectors and fans in the current climate. Bonhams currently holds the world auction record for a Ross work and with the market for his work steadily rising, coupled with live productions and proceeds to support public television, we expect to see strong bidding. We are delighted to be able to build on this momentum and continue to surpass the previous record.”
Ross’s show “The Joy of Painting,” which aired on public television from 1983 to 1994, made the host a cultural icon through his soothing voice, gentle encouragement, and “wet-on-wet” oil painting techniques of mountain and lake scenes. The artist and television host died of complications from cancer in 1995.
His calm and inspiring show – known for his paintings of “happy little clouds and trees” and Roth’s philosophy of “no mistakes, only happy accidents” – has experienced a resurgence in popularity during lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, Congress cut $1.1 billion in funding previously allocated to public broadcasting. The move left 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations scrambling to find other sources of funding, including emergency fundraisers. Some stations have already laid off employees and cut programming, according to the stations. Associated Press.
In August, Bonhams sold two early 1990s mountain and lake landscapes from Roth’s private collection in its American Art online auction. Lake and cloudy sky under snowy peaks (c. 1990-91), sold for $114,800; and Lake under snowy mountains and clear sky (circa 1990-91) sold for $95,750 including tax, more than double the estimated price.
