The Joy of Painting – The Influence of Bob Ross on Me

I watched the first episode of a new Bob Ross inspired painting show called “Keeping the Bob Ross Dream Alive.” I grew up watching Bob Ross. The bushy-haired, soft-spoken painter passed away back in 1995, yet he remains relevant. I often see teens come into my library wearing Bob Ross “Happy Trees” t-shirts. In fact, most of the manga lovers also love Bob.

Bob Ross inspired me to try painting and to return to my love for drawing. He, along with Leonardo da Vinci, developed my interest in art and science. I never bought a Bob Ross paint set. He used drier, firmer oil paints than what I could find. Remember, this was before online shopping took off! So I never could paint as he could. I was a “mud mixer” as he called it. But that didn’t stop me from trying. In the process, I learned how to glaze similar to what Leonardo used–thin layers of diluted oil colors. Long before I got into anime, I was a dedicated Bob Ross fan.

Throughout my high school years, Bob Ross provided a different influence. My job as a grocery store clerk caused my social anxiety to flare nearly every day. I lost weight and the stress of it–along with puberty–threatened to drive me crazy. But Bob’s soothing show provided some solace. My PBS station used to play Bob at 2:00pm every Saturday, just before I went to work. Eating lunch with Bob became a ritual, and it helped me cope with the stress of working with the public. Throughout my shift, I would play back the episode, wondering how I could paint the project using my buttery oils. His soft voice would whisper in my mind as I endured my social anxiety.

To this day, whenever I’m stressed or unable to sleep, I turn on “The Joy of Painting.” Fortunately, with YouTube, Netflix, and other on-demand streaming, I can spend time with Bob whenever I need to. Every so often, I find an episode I hadn’t seen before. With over 300 episodes, I find these discoveries quite a treat. Yet, no matter how many times I see an episode, it doesn’t get old. Familiar episodes lull me into a much-needed nap.

Bob’s wisdom also remains with me. He often spoke adages like “There are no mistakes here, just happy accidents” and “You should do what makes your heart happy.” As I type those lines, I feel my eyes tear a little. The gentleness of his encouragement, especially in our cutthroat society, refreshes me. Growing up with these adages has made me less afraid of getting things wrong.And I get things wrong daily. But I find mistakes are just happy accidents when I learn from them. They don’t feel so happy at the time. They are downright painful. But when I look back, I can see how they changed me for the better. Bob instilled in me (along with other influences of course!) the need to self-reflect. To paint deliberately, if you would. Boldly. To get crazy sometimes! But to always step back and evaluate too. To let the canvas take what it wants and give me back the rest.

Bob Ross always had a plan. He would often paint a work three times before the show. He made it look effortless and spontaneous because he had that plan as a guide.He also painted against the clock, yet he rarely looked rushed. We can learn many lessons in this: have a plan, practice it, remain relaxed and unrushed as you execute the plan, and be open to change. Despite having a plan, Bob would deviate from the practice paintings. He didn’t try to follow it exactly. As Sun Tzu wrote in the Art of War, a plan lasts only until the first arrow is fired. We need to have plans, yet not be anxious when the plans (as they will) deviate. Instead, we should enjoy the improvisation and paint steadily, boldly, but not hurriedly.

Despite dying 25 years ago, Bob Ross remained an inspiration and a calming influence. He embodied many of the principles of Zen and wabi-sabi I’ve explained here. Such wisdom, such peace, is needed in every age.