Bob Ross Inspiration
Bob Ross first found inspiration for painting when he was stationed in Alaska by the U.S. Airforce. This major change of scenery from his native Florida (near Daytona Beach) sparked an interest in nature. While stationed in Alaska, Bob would find himself taking pictures of beautiful scenery that depicted different natural features, from calming lakes and rivers to awe inspiring waterfalls and mountain ranges. This fascination with capturing nature and using it as inspiration for art was something that Bob felt was a positive influence on his life and he found himself wanting to share natures therapeutic beauty with others.

The Art of Sharing
In the beginning, Bob found himself teaching art classes to anyone who was willing to attend. Bob did many classes on the eastern coast, especially in PA, as this is where his wife was born. The next step Bob took was to start a show on public access television. Bob would send money to the station in order for them to broadcast his show which was free to the public. The show started off slowly and at first most viewers were fellow painters and artists. However, after about 4-5 years on television, Bob’s show gained traction with people who didn’t consider themselves artists—people who were drawn in by the calming vibes of the program. Bob’s show was so successful as a therapeutic medium that therapists were prescribing his show to patients. Whether it was inspiring people to love nature, pursue art, or simply take a break from life’s stresses and relax, Bob had a little slice of happiness for everyone.

Many years after Bob Ross’s death, he once again found himself as a beacon to art and nature lovers of a new generation. Bob Ross’s show is now available to be viewed for free on Twitch.tv, a streaming platform used by gamers, artists, and everyone in between to live stream content directly to people’s devices. For the first 8 days of his premier on the platform, the show was the second most streamed program on the platform. Bob Ross peaked at one point on Twitch with 21,399 viewers at a single time and today has 2.1 million followers! You can tune in to Bob Ross at twitch.tv/bobross.

Happy Little 5k
The Happy Little 5k originated five years ago in Michigan in collaboration with Bob Ross Inc. The original focus was on planting “happy little trees” to combat invasive pests and tree diseases, but has evolved to include other states, including Pennsylvania! This virtual 5k supports tree plantings in state parks and forests.

For more information visit: https://paparksandforests.org/run-for-the-trees-happy-little-5k-sprints-into-pennsylvania  And keep an eye out for Bob Ross certified instructor lead programs coming to a park or forest near you!

 

Written by Garrett Leonard, PPFF Intern
Garrett, a PPFF intern, is a student at Shippensburg University pursuing his degree in Geoenvironmental Science.