Jessica Jenkins, a VP at the Minnetrista exhibit, and a Bob Ross scholar, tells The Hustle that many more Ross paintings are actually hanging in living rooms across the US. If you’re a longtime fan of the painter, there are lots of other things you can buy aside from Bob Ross original paintings — at a fraction of the cost. We’ve rounded up some of the most lovable Bob Ross merchandise that you can display in your home or use in your everyday activities. Happy Little Accidents No one knows why they don’t want to sell the paintings, but it probably has to do with the fact that Bob Ross never really wanted his artworks to be capitalized on. He only wanted recognition for his talent, and he achieved that with his TV program. If he were alive right now, it’s highly unlikely that he’d approve of his paintings being sold at thousands of dollars. Bob Ross Paintings in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Before he became a TV star, Ross also sold thousands of his landscape paintings at flea markets, fairs, and malls, often for small sums of cash.

They pooled together their life savings, launched Bob Ross, Inc., and set out to make Ross into a TV star.

The instructional program premiered in 1983 on PBS, where it would run for over a decade and attract millions of viewers, including those who wondered if Bob Ross’s original paintings would ever be put for sale by PBS. As a TV painting instructor, Ross was known for his warm baritone voice, gentle demeanor, and light humor as well as his ability to complete beautiful landscape paintings in 30 minutes. Did you know a Bob Ross board game existed? Well, if you didn’t, you’re in for a treat. Bob Ross the Art of Chill is a fun tabletop game that can be played by 2-4 people. Your objective is to finish one of Bob Ross’s artworks using brushes and colors from your hand of cards to win the coveted “Chill” status. The more things you paint, the more chill points you earn! Born in Daytona, Florida, in 1942, Ross dropped out of school in 9th grade to work with his father, a carpenter.To find out how much a Bob Ross painting is worth, as with any artist, several things come into play: Provenance For years, collectors and fans have clamored to own their own piece of Bob Ross lore. Multiple art dealers told The Hustle that demand for his work is extraordinarily robust. This refers to the documentation that authenticates a particular artwork. In other words, the piece needs to be proven that it’s an authentic Bob Ross painting. When Ross died in 1995, Bob Ross, Inc. (and thus, the paintings) became the sole property of Annette Kowalski and her husband, Walt.

Online, you can acquire Bob Ross paints, Bob Ross brushes, Bob Ross underwear, Bob Ross coffee mugs, Bob Ross energy drinks, Bob Ross watches, and Bob Ross toasters. The company, which can be reached by dialing 1-800-BOB-ROSS, gets constant inquiries from folks about buying the paintings. Pre-fame, in Alaska, he sold thousands of paintings. And even while famous, he painted nearly every day at seminars, events, and charity auctions in between tapings. Inspired by the TV painter Bill Alexander, he started painting landscapes on gold mining pans and selling them at local markets in Alaska.Kowalski said that she knows a true Bob Ross original painting by inspecting the brushwork and other signs of Ross’s hand. She also looks for a specific detail in the quality of his signature that she refuses to disclose. When hot liquid is poured into this mug, a Bob Ross painting will appear. Once the mug cools down, the image will gradually disappear. Bob will stay. Today, 1,165 Bob Ross originals — a trove worth millions of dollars — sit in cardboard boxes inside the company’s nondescript office building in Herndon, Virginia. He was about as uninterested in the actual paintings as you could possibly be,” says Kowalski. “For him, it was the journey — he wanted to teach people. The paintings were just a means to do that.” But this only answers a part of the mystery. What about all the other paintings Ross gave away or sold during his life? The open market

Joan Kowalski, Annette’s daughter, and the current president of Bob Ross, Inc., tells The Hustle that the company had never really given the paintings much thought. Those are the wise words of Bob Ross — American painter, art instructor, television host, and every artist’s best friend. Known for his fast and simple “wet-on-wet” painting technique, he reached the hearts of art lovers all over the world with his popular TV program, The Joy of Painting .

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The bottom line is supply and demand: Bob Ross paintings are extremely tough to find, and more people want them than can have them,” he says. “They’re also the ideal conversation pieces, since they are almost universally recognizable.”