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| Bob Ross painting |
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you may recall stories of my childhood. My parents both worked full-time. After school, my younger brother and I would stay with Grandma until our parents came home. Grandma would prepare dinner for Grandpa and fix us our usual snack of tea and toast.
With my tea and buttered toast-filled belly, I'd sprawl out on her couch in the basement and drift off to sleep watching Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting. Grandma loved to paint. Much like, Bob, she'd paint beautiful happy trees (Bob Ross coined that term) and landscapes. Today, Grandma suffers from Alzheimer's and has since forgotten how to paint. When I found that out, it was one of the saddest days.
I remember back in the 1980s and '90s, Grandma loved watching Bob Ross. I recently asked her about him and just as I suspected, she has forgotten about him. I, of course, haven't. Bob Ross had the most soothing voice. Watching him on YouTube as I write this is making me want to shut my eyes and put my head down on the keyboard.
I swear, although Bob Ross was a fabulous oil painter, he could have had an amazing career as a hypnotist. Between his relaxing tone and the sound of the paintbrush against the canvas, one could easily pass out in a manner of seconds. I kid you not!
Who is Bob Ross?
Five Things About Bob Ross
1. Robert Norman Ross was born on October 29, 1942 and passed away on July 4, 1995.
2. Bob was the creator and host of the PBS show The Joy of Painting, which aired between 1983-1994.
3. Bob Ross was a native of Orlando Florida and spent ten years as a records clerk for the US Air Force.
4. Bob Ross died of lymphoma in 1995, sadly he was only 52.
5. He is survived by his brother Jim, his son Steven and his ex-wife, Lydia.
Bob Ross Painting Happy Trees
Bob Ross Makes Me Sleepy
30 comments:
Bob Ross was awesome.. and you are right, his voice was hypnotic - it could have been the ultimate cure for insomnia. But the dude had legit talent.
SD
http://simpledudecomplexworld.blogspot.com/
Big smile! I think we must be related. My dad and I watched the same show and I found myself taking a nap. However, the man could paint. LOL. Memories. Give your grandmother a hug for me. Alzheimer's is a very sad disease and hard for us to see those we love go through it.
Oh I can hear Bob Ross's voice now softly caressing my earholes. I loved the way his paint brush sounded when he painted "happy trees." I loved that show.
Thanks for this post, it made me smile.
Jess
I used to love his show. It made me want to get high, eat something, and then calmly paint something.
I remember watching his show and thinking that I could do that. He made it look so easy. But I never picked up a paint brush and tried. Guess I give it a try now but it just wouldn't be the same...
Wow! Even after all this time, I still love the way you can send my memory banks into hyperdrive!
I used to try and paint along with him. With his techniques, I could make it look okay, but as soon as i tried to do something of my own, it always sucked and sucked hard.
He was great! I'm not sure if I even knew that he died...
Great post Ally!
Yes! Great post. My parents used to be so annoyed by Bob Ross...but I loved him. They'd do the super eye roll every time I'd turn his show on too.
My parents were so mature.
My family would watch the show on Saturday mornings on PBS. You're right, he did have the sleepy effect on people!
Agree with him putting me to sleep.
Sidenote: Your bangs in that picture are ROCKING!
I loved Bob Ross with his happy little trees and soothing, hypnotic voice.
you have no idea how HAPPY you made me with this post today.
I used to LOVE Bob Ross and I still miss him. I used to watch him on Sunday mornings. As you said his voice used to sooo soothe me (I used to think it was just ME lol).
I loved all of his "naturescapes"...I can draw but could never paint and another thing I loved about him was how EASY he made painting look! He used to amaze me. He was in in the days when people really PAINTED and didn't do their paintings digitally (which to me is cheating)....
I also loved how he usually included streams, ponds, sunsets, yes "happy little trees" and the cozy cabin with smoke wafting out of the chimney...
Thank you for bringing him to life again!
This post was my favorite of the day!
I watched him in the 80s when I was little. I totally wanted to be an artist in third grade. Then I saw my own work and decided to be a writer instead!
I loved watching Bob. I have always thought that I would be able to paint, and watching/listening to him made me believe I could do it even more. I have still to try it, but his technique and methods are so simple and look easy to do. Someday I'll try it! I'll paint my "happy little trees" and decide what will "live over here", etc.
Thanks for the great memories!
I totally remember this dude. I didn't know he had died. How sad.
I couldn't agree with you more, it was his voice - so relaxing. I could watch him paint for hours.
Oh Bob Ross! We was the greatest! I remember watching him with my little sister in the afternoons. We loved it when he would drop a big dark line right down the middle of his almost completed painting. Every time we would be shocked when he turned that line into the trunk of a tree and then filled it out with leaves. It always looked great afterward! He was and is one of my inspirational art heroes!
I still watch his show from time to time. He always made it look so easy.
I love Bob Ross! His voice was always so soothing
My husband and I both loved Bob Ross if for nothing else than watching him and falling asleep on Saturday afternoons. A few years ago I found a happy trees shirt at Target and it's still one of his favorites.
I remember Bob Ross!
Now I feel very old...
I remember watching him a time or two...but usually something else caught my attention like Gilligan's Island.
What can I say? I was just a kid...
Did you know Bob Ross was in vietnam? Crazy right? Love his art.
BTW...made you blog of the day. :)
Your blog rocks my world so I gave you an award!
Jess
Don't tell anyone, but his voice made me want to punch him. That's probably a sign of some deep problem...
I miss the happy trees! I used to watch this with my sisters on Sunday mornings when I was little. I was always fascinated at what he could d.
I loved this dude. I can't believe how captivating his show was.
Oh, that is sad that he died from lymphoma. :( You forgot one thing about him back from the 80's. Bob Ross was HOT.
Bob was always so happy. I often wondered if in real life he was dropping F bombs and the like.
i totally remember watching this with my Nana!
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