Last year, an artist named Nicole Bonneau decided she wanted to recreate every one of Bob Ross’ 403 paintings ― at least, the 403 paintings that were created on the beloved PBS show “The Joy of Painting.”
“[A]t the rate I’m going it will be 10 years before I finish,” she told The Huffington Post in an interview. At that point, she’d only painted 13.
Bonneau is one person in an almighty sea of Bob Ross fans who, over 20 years after his death, are doing their part to keep the curly-haired, denim-clad artist’s legacy alive. There’s also this person. And this person. Oh, and these people.
Today, the world discovered yet another dedicated Ross follower in Felix Auer, the creator of Two Inch Brush, a website showcasing each and every one of those 403 “Joy of Painting” masterpieces. Every. Single. One.
“This is an unofficial database for ‘The Joy of Painting,’” Auer clarifies online.
His site takes its name from the precisely sized paintbrushes Ross preferred to use to achieve his wet-on-wet technique. On it, Auer presents each painting ― organized randomly, by season, and even by paint color ― alongside the appropriate “TJOP” episode, currently hosted on the Bob Ross YouTube Channel.
Bonus: there’s a “Getting Started” section for people somehow just now stumbling upon the magic of Bob Ross.
If you’re looking for an apolitical form of distraction in these ever chaotic times, we can’t recommend Bob Ross enough.
In the words of Ross, Auer, and probably every Bob lover on planet Earth: “Happy painting, and God bless, my friend.”
H/T A.V. Club