LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thirty paintings created by the bushy-haired, soft-spoken Bob Ross will soon be up for auction to defray the costs of programming for public television stations suffering from cuts in federal funding.
Bonhams in Los Angeles will auction three of Ross’ paintings on Nov. 11.
All profits are pledged to stations that use content from distributor American Public Television.
As desired by President Donald Trump, Congress has eliminated $1.1 billion allocated to public broadcasting, leaving about 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations to find alternative funding sources.
The beloved Ross died in 1995 of complications from cancer after 11 years in production with “The Joy of Painting.”
The thirty paintings to be auctioned span Ross’ career and include landscapes depicting serene mountain vistas and lake scenes, his signature aesthetic.
The auctions of the 30 paintings soon to be sold have an estimated total value of $850,000 to $1.4 million, Bonhams said. »