MARYVILLE, Tenn — "The Joy of Painting" still airs in re-runs on television. The program originally aired on PBS in the 1980s and 199os.
With a soothing voice and a happy demeanor, artist Bob Ross taught landscape oil painting in half-hour sessions.
His son and best friend are teaching painting classes this week in Maryville and presenting a free demonstration at the Blount County Public Library Thursday night at 6:30 p.m.
Oil painters from beginners to beyond have signed up for classes this Wednesday through Saturday.
Mickey Cline has a special interest because she is a Bob Ross Certified Instructor who lives near Chattanooga.
"Dana and Steve are excellent instructors. So if you can learn to do these you can learn to paint anything, any kind of seascape, landscape," Mickey Cline said.
Dana is Dana Jester, who was Bob Ross' closest friend.
Steve is Steve Ross, Bob's son.
Both appeared on episodes of "The Joy of Painting" on PBS and have taught art workshops since the 1980s.
"It's such an easy style to get started in. Everybody sees him do it in 30-minutes and they thing, wow, look how easy that is. Maybe I should try it and get the results," Dana Jester said.
The classes at the Blount County Public Library take all day, not a half hour.
Steve Ross said, "Every painting that Bob did he, of course, did it seven or eight times to get it down to 28 minutes and there was almost editing done at all on that show. So they just put a black curtain behind Bob and he did his thing and what you see is what you get."
What the students get is a direct link to the famous artist and a finished painting.
"Before dad died he said, you must continue. That was his last words he said to me," Steve said.
He said the same thing to Dana so there was no question that they would team-up to teach.
During art workshops, Steve loves to see the joy on students' faces.
"They say, oh my gosh, I've been trying to get that for two darn years and this is the first time I figured out how to do it since you helped me with that. So it's kind of like the love of teaching that keeps me in it," he said. "The whole Bob Ross philosophy to begin with was making people happy. That's what it is really about. It's not just the painting. It's about the experience and feeling like you've accomplished something and you're worth something."
Happy faces enjoying the spirit of the artist who gave us happy little trees.
The classes are sold out. But Steve Ross will demonstrate his painting techniques Thursday night in the Main Gallery of the Blount County Public Library. The free program starts at 6:30.