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 wouldn91裸聊视频檛 have envisioned one of his works going up for sale for nearly $10 million.

But that91裸聊视频檚 the price a Minneapolis gallery is asking for 91裸聊视频淎 Walk in the Woods,91裸聊视频� the first of more than 400 paintings that Ross produced on-air for his TV series 91裸聊视频淭he Joy of Painting.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t is season one, episode one of what you would call the rookie card for Bob Ross,91裸聊视频� Ryan Nelson, who owns the gallery, Modern Artifact, said of the work created in the show91裸聊视频檚 debut, which aired Jan. 11, 1983.

Growing up in a small town, Nelson said he was introduced to art through Ross91裸聊视频� show and loves his paintings. He doesn91裸聊视频檛 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 91裸聊视频淎 Walk in the Woods,91裸聊视频� Ross 91裸聊视频� sporting his beloved perm, full beard and unbuttoned shirt 91裸聊视频� stressed that painting didn91裸聊视频檛 need to be pretentious.

91裸聊视频淲e have avoided painting for so long because I think all of our lives we91裸聊视频檝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,91裸聊视频� Ross said. 91裸聊视频淎nd here, we want to show you that that91裸聊视频檚 not true. That you can paint a picture.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频� all done very quickly.

None of Ross91裸聊视频� paintings, including 91裸聊视频淎 Walk in the Woods,91裸聊视频� would be confused for masterpieces. But that wasn91裸聊视频檛 the point.

91裸聊视频淲hat this piece represents is the people91裸聊视频檚 artist,91裸聊视频� Nelson said. 91裸聊视频淭his isn91裸聊视频檛 an institution that91裸聊视频檚 telling you that Bob Ross is great. It91裸聊视频檚 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.91裸聊视频�

The first season of 91裸聊视频淭he Joy of Painting91裸聊视频� was filmed in Falls Creek, Virginia, and the painting from Ross91裸聊视频� 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 Ross91裸聊视频� works.

Nelson bought the painting last year and then gave it a 91裸聊视频渘ot for sale91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淎 Walk in the Woods91裸聊视频� is unique and Nelson isn91裸聊视频檛 looking for a quick sale. She notes that Ross91裸聊视频� popularity has soared in recent years, with 5.63 million subscribers to a YouTube channel featuring his shows.

91裸聊视频淩yan would prefer to take it out, tour it around to museums and things like that so people can enjoy it and appreciate it,91裸聊视频� Hoffman said. 91裸聊视频淗e will take offers but he91裸聊视频檚 not in a hurry to sell it.91裸聊视频�

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