Three original paintings by the beloved television artist Bob Ross will be auctioned by Bonhams in Los Angeles on Tuesday, with proceeds dedicated to supporting public television stations across the United States. This auction, organized by American Public Television (APT), marks the largest release of Ross’s original works ever made available to the public. A total of thirty paintings will be auctioned, with all net proceeds aimed at benefiting public broadcasting.
Among the works on display ahead of the auction, two paintings were created during Ross’s program, The Joy of Painting, which aired on PBS from January 1983 to May 1994. Another painting, a seascape set on a vertical canvas, was painted for an instructional book published by Ross. The initiative for this auction stemmed from Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., the company overseeing Ross’s intellectual property and legacy.
Inspiration Behind the Auction
Kowalski was motivated to organize the auction after witnessing two privately owned Ross paintings fetch significant prices at Bonhams earlier in 2025. She approached APT to discuss how a larger auction could help mitigate recent losses in federal funding. “It was just an idea I had in my head in the middle of the night,” Kowalski remarked. “I had no idea whether it would work or not, but little by little, I put the pieces together and decided it was really kind of a great idea. I think it’s probably something Bob would have decided to do if he was still here.”
The auction is particularly timely, as public media faces severe financial challenges following a decision in July 2025, when Congress eliminated $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This decision fulfilled a long-standing goal of former President Donald Trump to defund public media.
Supporting Public Television’s Future
Gabriella Jones-Litchfield, president of GJL Media and a consultant for APT, emphasized the importance of public television remaining accessible to all. “Whether you’re in rural America or in a major city, public television is there for those people and for us,” she stated. “Now we’re in desperate need to fulfill this funding gap and really think about the future of what public television is and how we can survive.”
Aaron Bastian, senior director of California and Western paintings at Bonhams, expressed optimism regarding the auction’s potential impact. “It’s a risk. You don’t know what’s going to happen,” Bastian commented. “Hopefully, people will open their hearts and their wallets a little bit, knowing that the money’s going to a good cause, and they get to take home the painting.”
Bob Ross passed away on July 4, 1995, at the age of 52. His gentle teaching style and optimistic outlook on life have cemented his status as a cultural icon. In recent years, his popularity has surged among younger audiences, largely due to social media and streaming platforms.
The upcoming auction represents not only a chance to acquire a piece of art history but also an opportunity to support a vital resource for education and entertainment across the country.
