Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support struggling U.S. public television stations

More than two decades after his death, Bob Ross — the art instructor whose calm demeanor and “happy little trees” became an American cultural staple — is once again supporting the medium that made him famous. About 30 of Ross's original paintings will be auctioned to benefit U.S. public television stations, many of which have faced steep financial challenges following federal budget cuts during the Trump administration.

The auction, set to take place at Bonhams beginning in November, will feature works Ross created during episodes of The Joy of Painting, his iconic instructional series that aired throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The show has seen renewed popularity in recent years, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, as viewers sought comfort and creativity in uncertain times.

Bob Ross Inc., which donated the paintings, said the auction “ensures Bob's legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades.”

The move comes in response to funding reductions pushed by the Trump administration, which led Congress to approve cuts to public broadcasting support. The resulting shortfall left around 330 PBS and NPR stations seeking alternative sources of revenue to sustain educational and cultural programming.

The proceeds from the auction will go to American Public Television, with the net funds distributed to local public TV stations nationwide. Beneficiary programs include long-standing favorites such as America’s Test Kitchen, Julia Child’s French Chef Classics, and This Old House.

Earlier this year, two Ross paintings — Lake Below Snow-Capped Peaks and Cloudy Sky and Lake Below Snow-Covered Mountains and Clear Sky — sold for $114,800 and $95,750 respectively, far exceeding auction expectations. Ross, who died in 1995 at age 52, would likely have been humbled by the soaring prices, said Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc.

“I can tell you that Bob would have been quite shy to learn that his paintings are now selling at six figures,” Kowalski told the New York Post. “He was never really that interested in his finished works. Bob was more fascinated with the process of painting and sharing that with other people.”

She added, “Truthfully, I can still hear him saying something like, ‘You don’t want my paintings — you want to create your own and hang them proudly on your wall.’”

The upcoming auction not only honors Ross’s enduring influence on generations of artists and viewers, but also reinforces the value of public broadcasting — an institution he helped shape with every soothing brushstroke.