Chances are good that, if you are an art major, an art enthusiast, or anyone who has heard anything about art and popular culture from the last few decades, you've heard of Bob Ross. If you know of Bob Ross, chances are good that you also know of his lighthearted catchphrases, signature hairstyle, and calm voice as he taught painting lessons on his TV series "The Joy of Painting." Recently, Netflix has put up a series called "Bob Ross: Beauty is Everywhere" and as I've been watching through the episodes, I've found a lot of inspiration about life from the artist. He definitely had some wise words to say about life, happiness, friendship, and more. So, here is my list of reasons as to why I think that you should look into Bob Ross and his work.
1. He believes that anything is possible.
There are so many times in life when we feel that we are unable to accomplish our goals or even make it through the day. Sometimes, you just need a little encouragement to remind you that you are able to do more than you believe yourself able to do. Bob Ross can give you that encouragement!
2. Mistakes are happy accidents.
In painting/art, and especially in life, there are times when you may mess up or things may not go as planned. At the time, it may feel like a mistake, but Bob Ross is here to remind you that it is not a mistake, just a "happy accident." That is to say, a believed "mistake" can allow you to follow a different path that might lead to an even better painting or outcome in life.
3. Nature is our friend.
It's a fairly well known fact that Bob Ross loved nature, as well as a fairly well known fact that he took care of a squirrel named Peapod the Pocket Squirrel. Bob Ross was always into helping out animals and enjoying the natural world, for it is their world as much as it is ours.
4. Beauty is everywhere.
Going along with number three, Bob Ross was a big believer of finding beauty in your surroundings and the little details around you. Even when you are having a tough day, all that you have to do is remember this saying by Bob Ross and suddenly the world gets a little brighter because beauty truly is everywhere.
5. He knows what's up.
He's just like you and me. I found a saying from Bob Ross online from his TV series where he talks not only about water being lazy, but about himself. “Water's like me. It's lazy. Boy, it always looks for the easiest way to do things” I think that he realized that we all just sat on our couches watching him paint and not actually doing anything, but whatever makes us happy probably made him happy too.
6. You can make your life full of happiness.
Although Ross was talking about painting, he was also talking about life. After all, he has a point. If something makes you happy, you should do it, plain and simple.
7. Sometimes you need a little imagination.
Growing up should never mean giving up on your imagination. Having a good imagination can make life a bit more creative and more fun. In Bob Ross's case, imagination ended up being enterprising. It's a win-win.
8. Big decisions are important.
He showed you the importance of making decisions, even if it was just in painting. Being confident enough in yourself and your opinions to make a decision is always a good quality to have, even if it arises in a situation that only involves you.
9. It's OK to be different.
Whether you are into art, music, business, science, or math; whether you want to name trees or dance in the streets; whether people give you weird looks for being yourself or not, it's OK to be "a little different."
10. Be inclusive and kind.
Bob Ross wanted everybody to experience painting and love the craft as much as he did, so he painted a picture in black and white for a viewer who couldn't see all of the various colors that he used. The world would be a bit more of a peaceful and happier place if people did nice things to make others happy and feel included, just like Bob Ross did.
11. The ups and downs of life are both beautiful.
I've always been a big believer that it is both the happy moments and tough moments that make life beautiful. I find this little piece of wisdom from Bob Ross to be insightful. He's always able to compare his paintings to real life. I love it!
12. He can always calm you down.
As mentioned above, Bob Ross is known for his happy attitude and his mellow voice that has calming qualities that can always put you at ease. It's sort of like Morgan Freeman's voice. If you've heard Bob Ross talk, you can likely imagine his voice in your head while just reading his quotes. It's part of what makes him so awesome!
13. Everybody can use a friend.
When Bob Ross would paint trees, he used to always paint more than one because every tree needs a friend, just like each one of us. He would end up painting many trees so that there could be many "friends." Like trees, we could all use another friend. Bob Ross knew that. He was also a big fan of us making friends with trees if need be.
Plus there is always his well-known ending phrase!
