Three Bob Ross paintings fetched more than $600,000 at a Los Angeles auction on Tuesday, kicking off the sale of 30 canvases by the iconic artist and TV host. The proceeds will support public broadcasters nationwide amid federal funding cuts.
Bonhams, the auction house, announced the sales and plans to offer the remaining 27 works at upcoming auctions in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles next year. The funds will aid public television stations hit by the elimination of $1.1 billion in public media support.
Ross, who passed away in 1995 at age 52, gained fame in the 1980s hosting PBS’s “The Joy of Painting,” aired on hundreds of public stations.
Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., which manages the artist’s legacy, donated the 30 paintings to American Public Television—the syndicator behind “The Joy of Painting” and other programs. Most of these works were only ever seen during Ross’s on-air creations.
The auction idea stemmed from Bonhams’ August sale of two private Ross paintings, each for about $100,000.
The NY Times reports proceeds will flow to American Public Television, which will distribute them to struggling broadcasters. Neither organization was available for comment late Tuesday.