Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Grandma, Bob Ross & Happy Trees

Bob Ross painting
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you may recall stories of my childhood. My parents both worked full-time. After school, my younger brother and I would stay with Grandma until our parents came home. Grandma would prepare dinner for Grandpa and fix us our usual snack of tea and toast

With my tea and buttered toast-filled belly, I'd sprawl out on her couch in the basement and drift off to sleep watching Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting. Grandma loved to paint. Much like, Bob, she'd paint beautiful happy trees (Bob Ross coined that term) and landscapes. Today, Grandma suffers from Alzheimer's and has since forgotten how to paint. When I found that out, it was one of the saddest days. 

I remember back in the 1980s and '90s, Grandma loved watching Bob Ross. I recently asked her about him  and just as I suspected, she has forgotten about him. I, of course, haven't. Bob Ross had the most soothing voice. Watching him on YouTube as I write this is making me want to shut my eyes and put my head down on the keyboard. 

I swear, although Bob Ross was a fabulous oil painter, he could have had an amazing career as a hypnotist. Between his relaxing tone and the sound of the paintbrush against the canvas, one could easily pass out in a manner of seconds. I kid you not!

Who is Bob Ross? 

Five Things About Bob Ross


1. Robert Norman Ross was born on October 29, 1942 and passed away on July 4, 1995.
2. Bob was the creator and host of the PBS show The Joy of Painting, which aired between 1983-1994.
3. Bob Ross was a native of Orlando Florida and spent ten years as a records clerk for the US Air Force.
4. Bob Ross died of lymphoma in 1995, sadly he was only 52.
5. He is survived by his brother Jim, his son Steven and his ex-wife, Lydia. 
  

Bob Ross Painting Happy Trees

Bob Ross Makes Me Sleepy

30 comments:

Jon Hanson said...

Bob Ross was awesome.. and you are right, his voice was hypnotic - it could have been the ultimate cure for insomnia. But the dude had legit talent.

SD
http://simpledudecomplexworld.blogspot.com/

Momma Fargo said...

Big smile! I think we must be related. My dad and I watched the same show and I found myself taking a nap. However, the man could paint. LOL. Memories. Give your grandmother a hug for me. Alzheimer's is a very sad disease and hard for us to see those we love go through it.

Jess said...

Oh I can hear Bob Ross's voice now softly caressing my earholes. I loved the way his paint brush sounded when he painted "happy trees." I loved that show.
Thanks for this post, it made me smile.
Jess

Oilfield Trash said...

I used to love his show. It made me want to get high, eat something, and then calmly paint something.

mamahasspoken said...

I remember watching his show and thinking that I could do that. He made it look so easy. But I never picked up a paint brush and tried. Guess I give it a try now but it just wouldn't be the same...

Pat Tillett said...

Wow! Even after all this time, I still love the way you can send my memory banks into hyperdrive!
I used to try and paint along with him. With his techniques, I could make it look okay, but as soon as i tried to do something of my own, it always sucked and sucked hard.
He was great! I'm not sure if I even knew that he died...
Great post Ally!

erin said...

Yes! Great post. My parents used to be so annoyed by Bob Ross...but I loved him. They'd do the super eye roll every time I'd turn his show on too.

My parents were so mature.

Anonymous said...

My family would watch the show on Saturday mornings on PBS. You're right, he did have the sleepy effect on people!

Annah said...

Agree with him putting me to sleep.

Sidenote: Your bangs in that picture are ROCKING!

Diane said...

I loved Bob Ross with his happy little trees and soothing, hypnotic voice.

Cat and DOG Chat With Caren said...

you have no idea how HAPPY you made me with this post today.

I used to LOVE Bob Ross and I still miss him. I used to watch him on Sunday mornings. As you said his voice used to sooo soothe me (I used to think it was just ME lol).

I loved all of his "naturescapes"...I can draw but could never paint and another thing I loved about him was how EASY he made painting look! He used to amaze me. He was in in the days when people really PAINTED and didn't do their paintings digitally (which to me is cheating)....

I also loved how he usually included streams, ponds, sunsets, yes "happy little trees" and the cozy cabin with smoke wafting out of the chimney...

Thank you for bringing him to life again!
This post was my favorite of the day!

Riot Kitty said...

I watched him in the 80s when I was little. I totally wanted to be an artist in third grade. Then I saw my own work and decided to be a writer instead!

Blast from the Past said...

I loved watching Bob. I have always thought that I would be able to paint, and watching/listening to him made me believe I could do it even more. I have still to try it, but his technique and methods are so simple and look easy to do. Someday I'll try it! I'll paint my "happy little trees" and decide what will "live over here", etc.

Thanks for the great memories!

Marlene said...

I totally remember this dude. I didn't know he had died. How sad.

Maggi said...

I couldn't agree with you more, it was his voice - so relaxing. I could watch him paint for hours.

Amber Von Felts said...

Oh Bob Ross! We was the greatest! I remember watching him with my little sister in the afternoons. We loved it when he would drop a big dark line right down the middle of his almost completed painting. Every time we would be shocked when he turned that line into the trunk of a tree and then filled it out with leaves. It always looked great afterward! He was and is one of my inspirational art heroes!

TS Hendrik said...

I still watch his show from time to time. He always made it look so easy.

Sara Louise said...

I love Bob Ross! His voice was always so soothing

Michelle said...

My husband and I both loved Bob Ross if for nothing else than watching him and falling asleep on Saturday afternoons. A few years ago I found a happy trees shirt at Target and it's still one of his favorites.

Sandra said...

I remember Bob Ross!
Now I feel very old...

Teachinfourth said...

I remember watching him a time or two...but usually something else caught my attention like Gilligan's Island.

What can I say? I was just a kid...

Copyboy said...

Did you know Bob Ross was in vietnam? Crazy right? Love his art.

Copyboy said...

BTW...made you blog of the day. :)

Jess said...

Your blog rocks my world so I gave you an award!
Jess

Caution/Lisa said...

Don't tell anyone, but his voice made me want to punch him. That's probably a sign of some deep problem...

Lindsey Buck said...

I miss the happy trees! I used to watch this with my sisters on Sunday mornings when I was little. I was always fascinated at what he could d.

Amber said...

I loved this dude. I can't believe how captivating his show was.

Unknown said...

Oh, that is sad that he died from lymphoma. :( You forgot one thing about him back from the 80's. Bob Ross was HOT.

Cheeseboy said...

Bob was always so happy. I often wondered if in real life he was dropping F bombs and the like.

~ Noelle said...

i totally remember watching this with my Nana!

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