The Surprising Military Background of Artist Bob Ross
Before he taught us how to make Happy Little Trees… He was making men do Happy Little Pushups.
Early Life and Artistic Journey
Born in Florida in 1942, Robert Norman “Bob” Ross is probably one of the most well-known painters and art instructors to ever live. Known for his soft-spoken and positive attitude, Ross’s show “The Joy of Painting,” ran for over a decade, where in each episode he would paint a picture while showing various techniques and styles one could use to create their own painting. He coined the phrase, “There are no such things as mistakes, just happy accidents.”
Military Service and Painting
But what most people don’t know is that prior to becoming a painter, Bob Ross was a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. In 1961, Ross joined the USAF and was assigned to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. It was during this time in Alaska that Ross really got into painting. The surrounding landscapes influenced his artworks and it was where he developed his quick painting technique.
Ross also admitted that he did not really enjoy his time in the Air Force. As he put it, he had to be “the guy that reams at you for being late to work,” and he vowed never to raise his voice again once he left the military.
~NC
