Bob Ross’ happy little trees are now funding public TV. Three of his original landscapes just sold for more than $600,000 at auction, with all net proceeds headed to stations squeezed by federal funding cuts.
The original paintings, created for Ross’ beloved instructional series The Joy of Painting, were sold Tuesday by Bonhams in Los Angeles as part of a broader effort to support public broadcasting. The auction is the first in a planned series that is expected to send 30 Ross works under the hammer.
Painted in 1990 and 1993, “Cliffside” sold for $114,800, while “Home in the Valley” went for $229,100, and “Winter’s Peace” fetched $318,000. Those prices include the buyer’s premium. Each work had been valued far lower before the sale with estimates between $25,000 and $45,000 for “Cliffside”, while the other two paintings were valued at $30,000 to $50,000 apiece.
Ross’ signature appears in the lower left corner of all three paintings, which originally appeared on episodes of The Joy of Painting. The series, hosted by Ross from 1983 until 1994, introduced his calm, step-by-step style of landscape painting to millions of viewers across the United States – and is beloved by younger generations, too.
In a statement announcing the sale in October, Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., said the auction would help keep the artist’s mission alive long after his death in 1995. She said the sale ensures Ross’ “legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades.”
Want more good news? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter - Smileworthy. It's a weekly 5-minute read packed with uplifting stories, positive news and tips for living life more Happily. Oh, and it's free! https://smileworthy.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Bonhams said all net proceeds from the sale will go to American Public Television and PBS public television stations nationwide.
The fundraising push comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in May to end public funding of PBS and National Public Radio, saying the move was necessary to stop what he called “biased and partisan news coverage.” The White House said at the time that the organizations had received “tens of millions of dollars” in taxpayers’ money to spread “radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.'”
Under the order, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was directed to cut funding to PBS and NPR to the extent allowed by law. According to The Associated Press, hundreds of local stations were then forced to quickly find alternative sources of income. Some laid off staff and cut programming, while others turned to emergency fund drives to stay on the air.
Tuesday’s event was the first of several Ross auctions planned by Bonhams. In total, 30 of his paintings are expected to be sold in upcoming sales, with the auction house estimating the series will raise between $850,000 and $1.4 million for public television. Additional auction dates are set to be announced at a later time, and more Ross works are due to be offered in January.
