Artist: Bob Ross
Title: Untitled, Similar to "Northern Lights"
Medium: Original Oil on Canvas Painting
Year: 1978
Inscription: Signed "Ross" in blue lower left front
Documentation: Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Modern Artifact

This untitled Bob Ross painting from 1978 is a very early example of Ross using a wet-on-wet technique. His earlier artwork demanded precision because it was painted directly on velvet, leaving no room for on-canvas blending or happy accidents.

In the early part of his career, Bob Ross took inspiration from his surroundings in Alaska. The type of Northern Lights scene in this Untitled Work is one of Ross' most revisited subject matter. The vibrant cobalt Northern Lights cast a rich aura across the entire scene, with fully saturated colors beautifully highlighted the snow covered details.

In later years, the Ross signed his signature almost exclusively in red, but his earlier paintings featured a wider variety of colors including black and even blue as seen here. The blue "Ross" signature is a thoughtful choice that blends with the stunning blue color pallet of the work.

This Untitled Bob Ross work is guaranteed to be authentic and comes with a gallery certificate of authenticity.

About Bob Ross

Bob Ross, a beloved advocate for painting in the late 20th century, spent his entire artistic career in front of the TV camera on "The Joy of Painting", Known for his uniquely soothing voice and "happy" images, he captivated millions and became a living icon.

Ross began his career in the US Air Force, serving 20 years, mostly in Alaska. In 1981, he left the military to pursue painting. During his early struggles, he adopted his signature perm as a cost-saving measure, a style he wore but disliked throughout his life.

Throughout his career, Ross remained dedicated to landscapes, creating around 30,000 paintings featuring trees, clouds, lakes, streams, and the occasional cabin. A sincere environmentalist, he often included small animals in his works and brought them to the studio. Interestingly, human figures rarely appeared in his paintings. He used the "wet on wet" or "Alla Prima" technique, dating back to the Renaissance. Though his style is challenging to categorize within contemporary art, it shares some aspects with Pop Art due to his celebrity status and creative approach. Except for early gold pans he distributed while in Alaska, Ross never sold his works.

More than twenty years after his death, Ross remains an Internet sensation. In 2015, over 400 episodes of "The Joy of Painting" were added to his official YouTube channel, and in 2016, his series "Beauty is Everywhere" began streaming on Netflix. Numerous tributes, including Google Doodles and birthday acknowledgments, continue to celebrate his legacy.

A calm and cheerful person, Ross maintained that anyone could paint with enough practice. His mantra, "We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents", endeared him to millions.

Born Robert Norman Ross in Daytona Beach, Florida, on October 29, 1942, he passed away from lymphoma on July 4, 1995, at 52.