Courtesy Doug Powelson
I am not a painter. The most complex thing I’ve drawn is a stick figure, but I didn’t let this stop me from accepting an invitation to the Bob Ross Art Workshop & Gallery in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The beloved PBS star of The Joy of Painting once said, “I think there’s an artist hidden at the bottom of every single one of us.” If there is an artist inside me, she’s in deep hibernation because I haven’t located her yet.
New Smyrna Beach offers a relaxed vibe where you can unwind to the soothing sounds of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also a hidden treasure for art enthusiasts, with charming galleries dotting the small-town streets. Ross lived here before his death in 1995, three years after opening the space, which remains the only official Bob Ross studio in the world.
As I drive into the parking lot and spot the iconic sign—featuring Bob’s smiling face with his signature afro—I feel my anxiety mount.
Greeting me at the door are comanagers: Nic Hankins, his wife, Ada, and their trusty Scottish terrier, Finn. Nic is not only a certified instructor, but he’s also carrying Bob’s mantle as the new host of The Joy of Painting. Perhaps it’s Finn’s wagging tail or Nic’s soothing words of encouragement, but I am ready to pick up my brush and give it a go.
As Nic and I sit side-by-side at our easels, I experience the famous “Bob Effect,” a calming reassurance, allowing students to ease into the creative process. With multiple globs of paint and pristine brushes in place, we start by using Bob’s “wet-on-wet” technique to prepare our canvases, then create blue skies using sweeping brushstrokes. My tension fades as Nic demonstrates how to create each feature: clouds, a lake, and pine trees, culminating in a landscape. I feel like a mixologist as we blend the sumptuous reds with the dusky greens to add depth to the bushes. The trees magically spring to life simply by adding a touch of yellow highlight to each branch. My clouds could be better, but they are “happy clouds,” as Bob would say. “We don’t make mistakes; we just have happy accidents.”
My session flies by, and my painting is complete. I’m surprised: It’s pretty darn good for a first attempt. I guess I am an artist, after all.
This article appears in the Fall 2025 issue of Southbound.
