The Bob Ross Experience with Joan Kowalski

Bob Ross has long been a fixture in the pop cultural landscape. The big hair, the soft voice, the happy little clouds, and the artwork created in an episode made Bob compelling and peaceful viewing. There was something about seeing a canvas transformed into a landscape that was transfixing.

Despite his shows being on many decades ago, there is more Bob Ross today than ever. Bobble heads, Chia pets, art supplies, board games, t-shirts, and many other items. You can even watch a marathon of Bob Ross episodes on the live streaming platform Twitch every weekend. Bob, it seems, has never left us and won’t be going anywhere any time soon.

Today on Experience by Design to talk about the Bob Ross experience is Joan Kowalski. Joan’s parents were responsible for helping Bob launch into the cultural zeitgeist. From her first job at Bob Ross, Inc., Joan is now the company’s president. In that role, she oversees all things Bob.

We talk to Joan about the origins and rise of Bob Ross, Inc, and why she thinks Bob continues to resonate today. We explore the design of the Bob Ross experience in its many forms. We discuss Bob the Sex Symbol, and the rise of “Bobology”, or the study of Bob. We talk about whether Bob will ever get respect from the art world given that he is perhaps one of the most popular culture artist known. Finally she tells us why the world needs more art, and how the curating of Bob’s work is helping to connect people with their creative selves.