Ok, I will admit that I am probably one of the weirder people that you will meet. One of my quirks goes back to my fifth grade year when my parents let me stay home from school because of me feeling sick. While still in my 'bed clothes' I was laid across the couch and channel surfing. When I eventually got to the PBS station, I was mesmerized by this guy with a very calm and soothing voice and had a huge brown afro! The noises that were coming off of the canvas that he was painting on was very soothing also. I remember him starting with a completely blank canvas and ending with a whole mountain scene with a waterfall. It was amazing! Since I turned to it after it came on, I had no idea what the name of the show was or who the big guy with the afro's name was. My only complaint was that it only came on during the week and it was only 30 minutes long. I tried to look for it to record but back then, I had no idea how to track a show down to see when it came on again. So, honestly.....I forgot about it. I mean I thought a few times about it and I even tried to ask my friends have they ever seen this painting show. Most of the answers were what you would expect from fifth grade boys. 'A white guy with a big 70's afro?' 'You sat and watched some dude paint a picture?' Man, I got so roasted that day! It wasn't until my 10th grade year when I found it again. It was during spring break and I was flipping again and it came on at 9:30 A.M. on Thursdays. I found out that the name of the show was 'The Joy Of Painting' and the calm (but interesting looking) guys' name was Bob Ross! This time I was ready, I knew how to program the VCR so I programmed the VCR to record every Thursday at 9:30 and before long, I had a whole tape of Bob's. It was great!
In a weird way, the program calmed me down and it was also refreshing to hear Bob Ross non-stop positive, 'you can do it' attitude about everything from painting, animal watching, or life in general. Not to mention it was amazing to me how quickly he could do an awesome picture. I even got the impression that he could finish the painting in 5 or 10 minutes if he wasn't describing his every move along with telling the viewer what colors to use. Its a VERY no frills show: Its Bob standing in front of canvas in an all black room with maybe a cameraman that I've seen once time in my years of watching the show. He gives you what colors you need to paint and gets to action. Over the years, I've found that some of my favorite episodes have featured painters other than Bob Ross including his son. Now, while his son doesn't have the afro, he usually sports an awesome mullet and handlebar mustache and is very good and painting perhaps my favorite thing from the series. mountains.
Now in my adult years, you just just about find the series everywhere from youtube to Netflix and I take advantage. I watch the series mainly as my 'winding down' routine. I find myself nodding while watching Bob (or others) paint. Its one of my favorite 30 programs ever. You should give it a shot, who knows....you may join the millions of Bob Ross fans around the globe!
Remember to take care of yourselves,
- John Cannady
