Description
Artist: Bob Ross
Title: Blue Alaskan Mountain Scene with Cabin and Northern Lights
Medium: Original Oil on Canvas
Size: 16 x 20 inches
Year: 1981
Inscription: Signed
Condition: Museum quality
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
While his hit TV show, "The Joy of Painting," brought Bob Ross into living rooms across America, he had an impressive career as both artist and an Air Force Master Sergeant that pre-dated the show. This 1981 painting is from 2 years before "The Joy of Painting" began, and the same year he officially ended his career in the Air Force. Bob Ross used painting as an outlet to deal with the stress of being an Air Force Master Sergeant, and the joy captured within this picturesque Alaskan Mountain scene in serene blue with the vivid northern lights visually signifies the weight of that responsibility lifted off his shoulders. For those that follow Bob Ross' career, this painting is truly a visual representation of when painting transitioned from Ross' hobby to his career. Rendered in his famous neo-realist style, this original painting features snow covered mountains, sky-high trees covered in frost, sweeping northern lights, and his recurring rustic log cabin. Bob Ross' original Blue Alaskan Mountain Scene with Cabin and Northern Lights painting on canvas is signed by the artist and comes with a certificate of authenticity from Modern Artifact.
Having spent his entire artistic career in front of the TV camera shooting “The Joy of Painting”, Bob Ross was one of the greatest advocates for painting in the late 20th century. Known as a painter of uniquely soothing voice, who always painted “happy” images, he was watched by millions and eventually reached the status of a living icon.
He started his career in the US Air Force, where he spent 20 years, mostly in Alaska. In 1981, he abandoned the army to pursue painting. In the early years, he was struggling. This is when his signature perm was born, as a way of cutting haircut costs, a style he wore and hated throughout his life.
Ross remained dedicated to landscape throughout his entire body of work, which counts around 30.000 paintings. His works are populated with trees, clouds, lakes and streams, and only an occasional cabin. Known as a sincere environmentalist, he often painted various small animals, bringing them often to the studio. Interestingly, very few of his works ever depicted a human figure. The technique he used is called “wet on wet” or “Alla Prima”, dating back to the Renaissance. Still, it was difficult to define Bob Ross’ style in terms of contemporary art. It was closest to Pop Art, due to his celebrity status and the concept in which it was created. Except for the early gold pans, he distributed while stationed in Alaska, he never really sold his works.
Even today, more than twenty years after his death, he remains an Internet sensation. In 2015, over 400 episodes of his famous TV show “The Joy of Painting” were added to the official Bob Ross Youtube Channel. In 2016, his other painting television series “Beauty is Everywhere” began streaming on Netflix. Furthermore, numerous series have paid homage to Bob Ross in various ways, while Google keeps posting Google Doodle and birthday tributes to the painter every year.
A calm, happy person, Bob Ross kept a democratic, open attitude, claiming that anyone can paint regardless of talent, only if they are ready to practice enough. We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents,” he used to say. And the people loved him for it.
Born as Robert Norman Ross in Daytona Beach, Florida on October 29, 1942, the meticulous painter died of lymphoma on July 4, 1995, at the age of 52.