Bob Ross Is Making His Museum Debut in Chicago

From his time as a master sergeant in the Air Force to his hit painting show, Bob Ross led a colorful and influential life. But one thing the iconic art instructor never accomplished was getting his work in a museum. Now, as The Art Newspaper reports, Bob Ross finally has paintings featured in a museum exhibition, 24 years after his death.

"New Age, New Age: Strategies for Survival" is a new exhibition at the DePaul Art Museum in Chicago that highlights representations of the New Age movement in contemporary art, featuring works that explore metaphysical practices, nature, self-realization, and political resistance. Four of Ross's landscape oil paintings, which represent self-care in the New Age movement, are included in the exhibition.

Unlike most other famous artists, Ross rose to stardom by sharing his techniques with the public and encouraging everyone to paint at home regardless of their skill level. He isn't normally included on lists of influential artists of the 20th century, but the exhibit argues that he contributed to trends in the art world. His creative philosophy reflected the shift away from overly serious, cerebral paintings and the rise of optimism and sincerity in art.

Though this is the late painter's official museum debut, his work has was loaned out once before to the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library.

Ross is joined by artists such as Rashid Johnson, Tony Oursler, and Robert Pruitt in the DePaul exhibit, which is open now and runs through August 11, 2019.