Bob Ross, known for ‘happy little trees,’ sparks bidding war at auction

A trio of Bob Ross paintings sold for more than $600,000 in a Los Angeles charity auction Monday to help support public television programming that is struggling after government funding was slashed.

American Public Television, the national public program, offered the landscape paintings from the beloved artist in a fundraising effort after the Trump administration and Congress pulled more than $1 billion in government support earlier this year.

“We’re thrilled with the results of this auction, which has surpassed our expectations,” Jim Dunford, president and chief executive of American Public Television, said in a news release. “These funds will help local stations continue to serve their communities with impactful programming. We’re deeply grateful to Bob Ross, Inc. for shining a spotlight on the need to support public media, at this critical time.”

Ross’ work is legendary for the way he spoke pleasantly to television viewers as he created images of mountains, trees, snow and clouds with quick flicks of his brush on his much-beloved public television show, “The Joy of Painting,” which ran from 1983 until 1994, a year before his death.

The auction took place at the Los Angeles offices of international auctioneer Bonhams, but most bidders did not show up in person, placing bids instead via phone calls to auction workers and online.

Auctioneer Aaron Bastian receives bids on a 1993 Bob Ross painting titled “Home in the Valley.”

(Sandra McDonald / Los Angeles Times)

The frameless paintings sat in a corner of the room on easels, reminiscent of Ross’ humble TV studio.

Once the bidding began, the room exploded into applause at the gavel-pounding completion of each sale. The auctions lasted only a few minutes for each painting, excitement mounting as prices skyrocketed upward.

“Bob would remind you that this is your world, and you can do anything you want,” auctioneer Aaron Bastian said during the auction, poking fun at Ross’ easygoing demeanor while bidders considered pushing prices up further.

Bob Ross’ “Cliffside,” painted in 1990, was one of the three paintings auctioned off.

(Bonhams)

Others filed in and pulled out their phones to record, curious to see how high the bidding would go. More than 350 bidders partook in the auction, Bonhams said in a release.

In the 1990s, Ross painted full canvases without cuts or breaks in less than 30 minutes — the run time of his public television episodes — and his shows are still celebrated for his calm demeanor and encouraging tutelage.

“Anybody can paint. All you need is a dream in your heart and a little practice,” Ross said on his show.

The three paintings sold were titled “Cliffside,” “Home in the Valley” and “Winter’s Peace.” All three sported Ross’ thin red signature in the bottom left corner. None were previously valued at more than $50,000 — until the charity auction.

“Cliffside” was painted in 1990 for Volume 20 of Ross’ instructional painting books, which were titled after the show. Ross spent longer than normal on these instructional paintings because he knew people would be studying them for years after, according to the auction footnotes. It sold for $90,000 to high applause in the room — $114,800 after an auctioneer’s premium.

“Home in the Valley” was painted in about 26 minutes for an episode of “The Joy of Painting” in 1993. It sold for $180,000, or $229,100 after the auctioneer’s premium.

“Winter’s Peace,” a snowy landscape with a small wooden cottage and several of Ross’ famous “happy little trees,” was also painted while filming in 1993. It sold for $250,000 at the gavel, or $318,000 after the auctioneer’s premium. It more than doubles Ross’ highest auction record.

Bob Ross’ “Winter’s Peace,” painted in 1993, was also part of the auction.

(Bonhams)

“Of particular note are the abundantly vibrant colorations, especially in the sky. This was an intentional adjustment that Bob often made when painting on television, in order for the hues to be exceptionally appealing to the viewer at home,” the footnotes on the auction website said.

Washington state-based artist and art collector Deborah Fox called it a bit of a mismatch to include Ross’ works amid the finery of Frank Coburn and Granville Redmond, both classic and well-known California Impressionist painters whose works regularly sell for tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.

After the auction, she called the sales “mind-blowing.” “It was more about donating to charity and getting something personal out of it,” said Fox, who did not bid but attended the auction in person to sell a piece of her own collection.

Fox called art a personal endeavor, sometimes less about the actual value of a painting and more about how it and the painter speak to a buyer. Ross’ show, and the cause to support public media in a time of political turmoil, meant a lot more to those who bid on it than the expected value of the pieces, she said.

“They’re not seeing a Bob Ross, they’re not seeing that cheesy landscape,” Fox said. “They’re seeing how it makes them feel.”

Monday’s auction featured the first three of 30 total works to be sold in support of public broadcasting. The next auction is scheduled for Jan. 27 at Bonhams Skinner in Massachusetts.