Happy Accidents Project

With nary a paint-by-number kit in sight, for 11 seasons Bob Ross showed television viewers how to paint, using simple yet effective techniques and not a lot of paint. He made the canvas less threatening as he taught viewers how to create peaceful landscapes in which any mistake or smudge was just a “happy accident” you could turn into a tree or a cloud.

Ross died from lymphoma in 1995, but now 11 local painters are celebrating his work. They have painted along with watching two episodes of his Joy of Painting show, and 22 of their own landscapes are the result. The opening April 20 was a joyful occasion for artists to celebrate their affection for Ross and their own love of painting. Cassandra Taylor filmed their painting process, and created a short documentary about the project.

What happens when Brad Slaugh—known for his caricature-like portraits—works in the Bob Ross mode? What happens when Steven Larson (pictured) or Lenka Konopasek, both known for their highly idiosyncratic styles, embark on this tutelage? Or when surrealist Sri Whipple steps up to the easel? Each artist imbues the works with their own personality. Ross wouldn’t have had it any other way.

For a suggested donation of $5, viewers can enter for a chance to win one of the interpretations of “Grandeur of Summer.” Money from the drawing benefits the lymphoma wing of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. (Brian Staker)