This Is Where Most of Bob Ross' Paintings Are Being Kept

The permed up icon painted over 30,000 pieces.

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Bob Ross told the New York Times in a 1991 article that he completed over 30,000 paintings, but their whereabouts are largely unknown. If he didn’t sell them, where did all of his “happy trees” go? The NY Times just released a video chronicling the permed-up icon’s television legacy while also relaying the exact location of where his highly-sought-after paintings are being kept.

Ross appeared in 403 episodes of PBS’ The Joy of Painting from 1983-1994. He died the following year at the age of 52 from lymphoma. For each episode, he created three versions of the same painting. The first copy was hidden from the screen, the second version was the one shown on television, and the third copy was completed when cameras stopped rolling. Most of these pieces were donated by Ross and the PBS station to charities or fundraisers stateside during the show’s airing.

Since his death, Bob Ross Incorporated founded by Ross’ painting assistant, Annette Kowalski, stored his paintings at its headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. The paintings alongside other objects by Ross are now part of the permanent collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

Watch the video above to learn more interesting facts on Bob Ross.

In other art stories, San Francisco-based artist Ben Venom celebrated Black Sabbath’s 50th birthday with new textile artworks that are on display at an exhibition in England.

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Keith Estiler Managing Editor, Hypeart

Keith Estiler is a New York-born curator, writer, and the Managing Editor of Hypeart, the contemporary art arm of Hypebeast. Based in NYC, Keith heads up editorial strategy at the intersection of contemporary art and culture, capturing the icons and outliers of both the local and international scenes. He has curated exhibitions worldwide, dedicated to championing the emerging voices and subcultures currently redefining contemporary visual culture.

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