It hasn't rained here in weeks, and the grass has chosen to retaliate against my bare feet as I walk through the backyard. Everything is mainly brown, and it's been a struggle getting our garden started. Some of our transplants, despite our best efforts, have died.
Thankfully, it decided to rain today. Wet weather is perfect for indoor activities like painting, so we honored Bob Ross with a happy little art day.
While the kids were finishing lunch, I read them a brief history (below) about the artist, followed by playing a few clips on youtube (below) to help the boys get inspired.
Who is Bob Ross?
Bob Ross was an American painter, teacher, and TV host of the instructional show, The Joy of Painting. The show aired from 1983-1994 in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and more. Bob Ross enlisted in the US Airforce at age 18, where he'd serve as a medical records technician and rise to master sergeant. Ross was serving in Alaska at the Eielson Air Force Base, where he first saw the majestic snow-covered mountains that would continue to inspire so many of his paintings for years to come.
A legend is gone, but in our hearts forever.
Ross passed at the young age of 52 on July 4, 1995, in Orlando, Florida, due to complications from lymphoma. His grave can be visited at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Gotha, Florida. You'll find a plaque marked "Bob Ross, Television Artist." Ross kept his illness private from the general public.
The famous painter is still a noteworthy artist as his reruns continue to enlighten a new generation of creative minds.
This video below is not an official Bob Ross tutorial, but I thought it was perfect for beginners that want to paint trees. Check out the channel Wild Creates for more! We used this video to demonstrate our happy little art day.
Let the creation begin!
After the brief lesson about Ross, I encouraged the boys to paint their happy trees, but they decided to do their own thing. Of course!
"Oh, can I paint a king cobra?!" Watson asked with excitement.
"Yeah, I want to paint a snake!" Wyatt matched his brother's enthusiasm.
"Yeah, sure. " I said, a little disappointed.
I helped the boys lay out the newspapers and canvases and asked them what colors they needed. I continued to play The Joy of Painting on my laptop for some background noise as their little hands painted on the fresh dollar store canvases and blue paint splattered all over the floor.
I hoped that they would attempt to make a tree, but I believe that art is all about creative expression, not the reproduction of someone else's work. If I can allow them to be children for a little longer, I will. They have the rest of their lives to stand against the pressure of a world that demands them to conform to a mold, but today isn't that day. If Bob Ross inspired you to paint a king cobra, do it, kid!
In the end, we didn't end up with mountains or trees. Heck, there weren't even cobras! Wyatt painted his entire canvas shades of blue, and Watson painted meteorites and lava with birds flying above. He named his painting lava meteorites. đ
I realized in the middle of our class that we didn't have black paint, and despite my best efforts to make it, I ended up with a dark army green-gray. Yuck! When I head to the store again, I'll pick up some black paint so we can add some silhouette trees to these canvases (below) or perhaps start something new.
Comments