Whenever I need to relax and unwind, I queue up an episode of The Joy of Painting. There’s nothing more therapeutic than listening to the reassuring voice of Bob Ross as he manifests one of his spectacular landscapes. It’s as if he’s talking directly to you and only you. His official YouTube channel has nearly 5 million subscribers and features all 31 seasons. Best part? It’s all free! Fun fact: “Island in the Wilderness” (Episode 1, Season 29) is the most-watched segment with over 37 million views.
If this were an appraisal of his television program, I’d give it a perfect 5 stars. I am a fan. This however is a review of a documentary that debuted on August 25 on Netflix. Bob Ross was an artist on television who did an instructional program on how to draw from 1983 to 1994. Sadly he is no longer with us, having died in 1995 from cancer. Bob was talented to be sure because he could finish a beautiful oil painting in under 30 minutes right before your eyes. What made him a personality was his unbelievable calm and placid demeanor and his soothing voice. He also loved nature and this was evident when he was rendering one of his landscapes. He charmed the audience with his artistic skill but also with his gentle presence.
The words “betrayal” and greed” in the title would imply some salacious reveal that the man wasn’t as saintly as he seemed. I’m happy to report Bob Ross was just as kindly off-screen as he was on. There are some tidbits of information about his life, but nothing uncovered here is shocking. As far as I’m concerned, the biggest bombshell — dropped less than 10 minutes in — is that his signature Afro was a perm. His hair wasn’t natural! I’m gutted.
The provocative title refers to the fact that his company — which includes his image and likeness — is now owned by people who do NOT include his son Steve Ross. This has occurred through some bewildering legal shenanigans. Some of this is a bit murky because — as the investigation points out — many people declined to participate due to the fear of being sued. Bob’s half-brother, Jimmie Cox, turned his majority interest in Bob Ross Inc. over to the people now in charge of his company: co-founders Walt and Annette Kowalski. They refused to appear as well. As such, it’s an incomplete picture.
As an admirer of Bob Ross, I enjoyed the movie because I am fascinated by the man, but I wanted to know so much more. There are some biographical details I learned, so it is indeed interesting. Bob Ross and his “happy little trees” were never taken seriously by the art world. Yet director Joshua Rofé interviews art historians who respectfully discuss his wet-on-wet approach. Also known as alla prima the technique speeds up the oil-painting process considerably by applying pigment to still wet layers. The Impressionists (among others) utilized the style.
One day a more definitive profile will decide to focus more on what made this man tick. Conversely, this feature creates more questions than it answers. Then ends on a distressing note. There’s a great documentary to be made about this individual. Unfortunately, this portrait falls short.
08-26-21
4 Responses
Thank you, Mark. I particularly enjoyed the way you discussed this man and this movie.
I really enjoy his program. Are you a fan too?
I love the part when he explains why he decided to use such a calm voice. I enjoyed the parts about him, as the great person he was. I don’t like that his son got nothing. That was unfair and disgusting. Shame on Walt and Annette. 3 ⭐️
Yeah there were some details I didn’t know before. I guess I craved more about the man himself and less about the state of the company Bob Ross Inc. today.