Bob Ross art to be auctioned for PBS

Thirty paintings by American artist Bob Ross, 1942–1995, known as Uncle Bob for his catchphrase "That easy?," will be offered at auction.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Ross’s family plans to sell the works through U.S. auction house Bonhams starting next month.

Three of the paintings will be offered first at a Bonhams auction in Los Angeles on Nov. 11. The remaining 27 are scheduled for auctions in New York, Boston, and other cities next year. Bonhams estimates the total value at $850,000 to $1.4 million. All proceeds will support public broadcasting, helping rural stations affected by budget cuts under the Trump administration.

The auction is the first large-scale sale of original works created during Ross’s appearances on the PBS program "The Joy of Painting," which aired from 1983 to 1994. In South Korea, the show aired on EBS as "Let’s Paint with Bob Ross." On the program, Ross completed paintings with simple brush strokes and famously asked, "That easy?"


Min Kim kimmin@donga.com