The world is, and has always been, full of different kinds of artists. Some are artists for a living, some create for practical purposes, others create for aesthetics. Some artists are good, some are bad, some in between. But quality doesn’t define an artist. Art is defined by the act. Some who think they are great artists may dismiss those they think aren’t. Was Bob Ross a great artist? Bob Ross is one of America’s greatest artists in the same way Mozart was one of the world’s greatest composers and Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers. The span of their popularity in their lifetimes had a wide reach. But isn’t it time to launch Bob Ross into the stratosphere and solidify his standing and importance as a master in the realm of Picasso, Van Gogh, Hopper, Wyeth, and Rockwell? Certainly his works are more important to Americana and should be valued as highly as those of modern artists Kusama, Ruscha, Johns, Wool, and Koons. Heavy hitter art buyers need to collect their cash by November 11 as American Public Television auctions thirty original Bob Ross paintings each featured on his beloved PBS show The Joy of Painting.
The show, which still airs on PBS and streams daily on multiple platforms, put Ross on the map not only as an artist, but as an iconic American personality in the league of other beloved greats like like Mr. Rogers, Charles Schulz, Jim Henson, and John Denver. They all used their talents to do good, but most of all to spread joy. You might point out a better American artist, but you probably can’t point to anyone who has used his art to touch more people.
Auction house Bonhams, who will be conducting the sale, estimates that the thirty paintings could sell for a combined total of between $850,000 and $1.4 million. But isn’t that kind of an insult? Ross works have had sales in the past in the $100,000 range. It’s time for the auction world to improve on that. This should be a $30 million auction.
At President Trump’s direction, Congress voted in July to claw back $1.1 billion in previously allocated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, leaving the roughly 330 PBS and 244 NPR stations in jeopardy. The sale of the paintings is aimed to help as CPB works to continue and be available to all Americans.
He was the Guru of Gesso, the Savant of Soothe. He was the best of America. Only three works (shown above) will be available at the November 11 auction, with the rest available for sale at Bonhams showrooms. Follow the Bonhams website for more information.
C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg
