Original artwork from painter and TV host Bob Ross will be auctioned off to help support public television stations after the Trump administration cut funding.
The auction house Bonhams said in a statement that 30 of Ross' paintings will be sold at different auctions.
The first auction is set Nov. 11 as part of its California and Western Art sale. Three of Ross' pieces will be included: "Cliffside," painted in 1990; "Winter’s Peace," painted in 1993; and "Home in the Valley," painted in 1993.
Ross’ signature is on the lower left side of all three paintings.
"Bob Ross dedicated his life to making art accessible to everyone through public television. This auction ensures his legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades," Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., said in a statement.
The auctions of the 30 paintings have an estimated total value of $850,000 to $1.4 million, Bonhams said.
In May, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end public funding of National Public Radio and PBS to stop what he called "biased and partisan news coverage."
The White House previously said in a statement that the organizations received "tens of millions of dollars" in taxpayers' dollars to spread "radical, woke propaganda disguised as 'news.'"
Under the order, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was directed to cease funding to NPR and PBS to the extent allowed by law.
The move left hundreds of NPR and PBS stations to find alternative funding, The Associated Press reported. Some stations launched emergency fund drives, while others had to cut programs and lay off workers, it reported.
"Public media has always been a unique public-private partnership, and this auction is a wonderful example of that," Jim Dunford, president of American Public Television, said in a statement.
Bonhams said all of the net proceeds will go to American Public Television and PBS public television stations nationwide. Bonhams will announce other auctions later, it said.
Ross, the beloved host of "The Joy of Painting," introduced painting to millions of people on his show, which he hosted from 1983 until 1994, one year before he died.
His how-to program was shown around the United States and the world. Ross, a former Air Force drill sergeant known for his calm demeanor and encouraging words, enjoyed a resurgence in popularity during the lockdowns of the pandemic.
Ross spoke often as he worked on the air about painting happy little clouds and trees and making no mistakes, only “happy accidents.”
