
He inspired so many people to paint. He showed them that anyone can do it. All it takes is practice. It’s not a gift from god to a special few people called artists. He was one of the first art therapists because he had such a calm zen like attitude, happy accidents and happy trees etc. When your life goes down the tubes you can feel better painting. If you keep at it long enough you aren’t depressed anymore.
I can’t paint like that. His way is so contrary to what I learned in art school that I’ll probably never try. Yes, I was brain washed in art school, but it’s ok. There are millions of artists painting like Bob Ross. Not many artists that know the old traditional ways are sticking to the old ways, so, the chances of anyone forging my paintings after I’m dead are slim. The academic tradition is dying out. Anyway, who wants to forge an artist that isn’t commercially successful, like me?
That’s all beside the point of this post.
The alarming thing about the documentary is that Bob’s business partners stole the rights to his name after he died and they made millions off the sale of merchandise with his face and name and his son didn’t get any of the money. Bob saw the problem coming before he died and tried to stop them but couldn’t.
Everyone that watches him paint loves him. He had a real genuine personality which is so refreshing in the totally fake art world we have today. He really loved people and it comes through.
I could never buy any Bob Ross merchandise because they used him to satisfy their own greed. And if someone wants to buy one of his paintings they might be buying a forgery.
What does it mean? His business partners were his best friends. You can’t trust anyone, I guess. Is it better to be unknown? Then you know your friends aren’t after your money.