Growing up, my mom would love to set up her canvas and easel on the weekends, and just paint for hours.
Usually, she'd paint some scene from nature, twisting the bristles on her brush to form trees, waterfalls, and snowy mountains.
She had picked up all her skills from watching Bob Ross on The Joy of Painting.
Though the painter and TV show host passed in 1995, his legacy and name (and tens of thousands of amazing canvas landscape paintings) still live on.
Just recently, an old, seldom-before-seen photo of Ross surfaced on the internet. In the black-and-white photograph, dating to the '60s, Ross is clean-shaven, and all suited up in his U.S. Air Force uniform.
Ross had a pretty prominent 20-year military career, before he gave it up and decided to pursue his true passion for painting and produce artwork that would go on to have an incredible influence on popular culture.
Scroll further to see a young Bob Ross, and let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
[H/T: Woman's Day]
American painter, art instructor, and television personality Bob Ross (1942-1995) was perhaps best known for creating and hosting The Joy of Painting, which aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS.
Recently, an old photo resurfaced on the internet, depicting Ross in the '60s as a U.S. Air Force enlistee.
Here he is, fresh-faced, dashing, and in full uniform.
Prior to starring on the show (and becoming a national treasure), Ross worked as a part-time bartender, and served as the First Sergeant at a U.S. Air Force Base in Alaska.
It was during his 20-year career in the military that Ross discovered his passion for painting and art, and for depicting snow-capped mountains and trees, which would be recurring themes in his artwork.
After leaving the service, Ross transformed into the public personality we now remember, with the iconic permed coiffe, the gentle, lulling voice, and intricate landscape paintings.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Ross, however.
He found it tough to promote his painting technique in the beginning of his art career, and, apparently, in order to save money on haircuts, he chose to have his hair permed.
Though the hairstyle was uncomfortable, it went on to be a signature element of his brand and look.
Ross passed away in 1995 at age 52 from lymphoma, but his name and legacy live on through his tens of thousands of painted canvases and instructional videos on the internet.
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