Bob Ross, the iconic artist known for his soothing voice and “Happy Accidents,” faced profound personal challenges throughout his life.
Ross’s first encounter with the Kowalski family led to the creation of the successful PBS show “The Joy of Painting,” which aired for 11 years and reached over 80 million viewers.
Tensions arose between Ross and his former mentor, William Alexander, after Ross adopted the wet-on-wet painting technique, which Alexander had taught him.
Bob Ross was married three times and had two š¤š©šŖšš„ren, with his personal life marked by complexities and challenges, including infidelity and estrangement from his son Steve.
After Ross’s death from lymphoma in 1995, the Kowalski family gained full ownership of Bob Ross Inc., despite Ross’s intentions to leave his assets to his son and half-brother.
The Kowalski family contested Ross’s will, aggressively pursuing ownership of his name and likeness, leading to extensive legal battles with his family.
Bob Ross painted approximately 30,000 works during his lifetime, with many of his paintings rarely appearing on the art market due to his desire to keep them from becoming commercialized.