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This is a contributing entry for Charleston IN PLACE Artworks Tour and only appears as part of that tour.Learn More.

IN PLACE - Bob Ross

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

This charming portrait of painter Bob Ross was created in 2019 by Jeff Pierson. The work is composed of paint on metal and is a caricature of its namesake. Ross hosted a Public Broadcasting Service television show called The Joy of Painting, an educational program which taught viewers painting basics and garnered Ross a devoted following for his warm demeanor and passion for painting. Pierson's depiction of Ross is part of the IN PLACE series; a city of Charleston initiative that commissioned eight works which integrate seamlessly into their sites. Pierson's contribution to the project combines two and three-dimensional elements. Though the work is paint on metal, the face, hand, and palette of the figure are positioned at different depths. A bush stands in for Ross' iconic permed hair, whimsically complementing Pierson's cartoonish and exaggerated art style. Pierson's Bob Ross is a playful tribute to a painter who believed that everyone can create art.

Images

IN PLACE - Bob Ross.

Human, Facial hair, Tooth, Mesh

Artist Jeff Pierson next to his completed work.

Human, Jeans, Overhead power line, Residential area

Sources

The Bob Ross Story, Bob Ross. Accessed January 7th 2021. https://experience.bobross.com/the-bob-ross-experience/.

Charleston putting new "face" on landscape with in-place mural projects, WCHS. April 19th 2019. Accessed January 7th 2021. https://wchstv.com/news/local/charleston-putting-new-face-on-landscape-with-in-place-mural-projects.

Eye of the Beholder: Public art fits in seamlessly around Charleston, Charleston Gazette-Mail. June 23rd 2019. Accessed January 7th 2021. https://www.wvgazettemail.com/life/eye-of-the-beholder-public-art-fits-in-seamlessly-around-charleston/article_2a10c3f6-315e-5004-b895-8d6d9797d752.html.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Office of Public Art, Charleston WV. Accessed January 7, 2021. https://gisweb.cityofcharleston.org/storymaps/arttour/#.

Facebook, Office of Public Art - Charleston WV. Accessed January 7, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/182062375900149/posts/week-one-of-our-in-place-mural-project-is-in-the-books-bob-ross-and-geraldine-th/434882973951420/.

Additional Information