American Public Television (APT) is set to auction around 30 paintings by the iconic artist Bob Ross through Bonhams beginning in November. Proceeds from the sale will support programming for both APT and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), following significant federal funding cuts enacted by the Republican-led Congress. Ross’s beloved series, The Joy of Painting, first aired on public television in 1983 and has remained a staple on public broadcasting ever since.
The paintings headed to auction were created live on air by Bob Ross and haven’t been publicly seen since their original broadcasts. The first three works will be offered on November 11 at Bonhams Los Angeles during its California and Western art sale. Winter’s Peace (1993) and Home in the Valley (1993) each carry a high estimate of $50,000, while Cliffside (1990) is estimated at up to $45,000. The remaining paintings will be sold in auctions next year in Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. Estimates for those works have not yet been released, so total potential proceeds remain unknown.