What would Bob Ross think?

The artist who brought painting to the people, with works completed for PBS viewers in less than a half-hour with little more than a large bristle brush, putty knife and plenty of encouragement, certainly wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have envisioned one of his works going up for sale for nearly $10 million.

But thatB次元官网网址檚 the price a Minneapolis gallery is asking for B次元官网网址淎 Walk in the Woods,B次元官网网址� the first of more than 400 paintings that Ross produced on-air for his TV series B次元官网网址淭he Joy of Painting.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚t is season one, episode one of what you would call the rookie card for Bob Ross,B次元官网网址� Ryan Nelson, who owns the gallery, Modern Artifact, said of the work created in the showB次元官网网址檚 debut, which aired Jan. 11, 1983.

Growing up in a small town, Nelson said he was introduced to art through RossB次元官网网址� show and loves his paintings. He doesnB次元官网网址檛 expect a quick sale given the high asking price, which he sees as an opportunity to display the painting for a larger audience.

On that first show where he painted B次元官网网址淎 Walk in the Woods,B次元官网网址� Ross B次元官网网址� sporting his beloved perm, full beard and unbuttoned shirt B次元官网网址� stressed that painting didnB次元官网网址檛 need to be pretentious.

B次元官网网址淲e have avoided painting for so long because I think all of our lives weB次元官网网址檝e been told that you have to go to school half your life, maybe even have to be blessed by Michelangelo at birth, to ever be able to paint a picture,B次元官网网址� Ross said. B次元官网网址淎nd here, we want to show you that thatB次元官网网址檚 not true. That you can paint a picture.B次元官网网址�

Ross, who died in 1995, hosted the show from 1983 until 1994. In each episode, he would speak directly to viewers whom he encouraged to paint with him as he created idealized scenes of streams backed by mountains, waterfalls and rustic cabins and mills B次元官网网址� all done very quickly.

None of RossB次元官网网址� paintings, including B次元官网网址淎 Walk in the Woods,B次元官网网址� would be confused for masterpieces. But that wasnB次元官网网址檛 the point.

B次元官网网址淲hat this piece represents is the peopleB次元官网网址檚 artist,B次元官网网址� Nelson said. B次元官网网址淭his isnB次元官网网址檛 an institution thatB次元官网网址檚 telling you that Bob Ross is great. ItB次元官网网址檚 not some high-brow gallery telling you that Bob Ross is great. This is the masses, the population in the world that are saying that Bob Ross is great.B次元官网网址�

The first season of B次元官网网址淭he Joy of PaintingB次元官网网址� was filmed in Falls Creek, Virginia, and the painting from RossB次元官网网址� first show was sold months later to raise funds for the local PBS station. A volunteer at the station bought the painting for an undisclosed price and hung it in her home for 39 years until getting in touch with Nelson, who has bought and sold more than 100 of RossB次元官网网址� works.

Nelson bought the painting last year and then gave it a B次元官网网址渘ot for saleB次元官网网址� price of $9.85 million, said publicist Megan Hoffman.

Hoffman said the asking price is far more than any other Ross painting has sold for, but B次元官网网址淎 Walk in the WoodsB次元官网网址� is unique and Nelson isnB次元官网网址檛 looking for a quick sale. She notes that RossB次元官网网址� popularity has soared in recent years, with 5.63 million subscribers to a YouTube channel featuring his shows.

B次元官网网址淩yan would prefer to take it out, tour it around to museums and things like that so people can enjoy it and appreciate it,B次元官网网址� Hoffman said. B次元官网网址淗e will take offers but heB次元官网网址檚 not in a hurry to sell it.B次元官网网址�

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