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Annette Kowalski is likely in her 70s, though she prefers not to reveal her exact age.
“Caitlin, avoid growing old,” she advised. “It’s not beneficial.”
When asked about her age, Kowalski simply replied, “very old,” hinting that her former partner Bob Ross was about the same age, allowing for some estimation. Ross passed away on July 4, 1995, after fighting lymphoma for years. He would have turned 73 that October.
Kowalski, who co-founded the Bob Ross Company, first encountered Ross in 1982 following the tragic loss of her 24-year-old son in a car accident. Overwhelmed by grief, she fell into a severe depression. To cope, she spent hours on the couch watching Bill Alexander, her favorite TV painter and personality.
For those unfamiliar with Alexander, he’s often summarized as the precursor to Bob Ross—though he’s German and bald. Alexander was the host of PBS shows like The Magic of Oil Painting and The Art of Bill Alexander. While he’s mostly forgotten today, clips from his programs remain on YouTube, and his significant impact on Ross is evident even before watching.
Desperate to help his wife, Kowalski’s husband, Walt, contacted Alexander’s company in Oregon to arrange a trip from their home in Washington D.C. so Annette could attend a class. He learned that Bill Alexander had retired from teaching, but a young, relatively unknown artist named Bob Ross was set to replace him. Ross had a class scheduled in Clearwater, Florida. Though he wasn’t the instructor she initially wanted, Kowalski and her husband made the 14-hour drive to Clearwater.
Kowalski enrolled in a five-day workshop, but it only took a single day for her to realize Ross was extraordinary.
“I was utterly amazed by what I witnessed,” she recalled. “Everyone was captivated by Bob. I was so fascinated that I stopped painting altogether. Instead, I followed him around the room, observing how he connected with people.”
Ross, a former Air Force serviceman who had been stationed in Alaska, developed a deep appreciation for the landscapes he would later paint on TV. Inspired by Alexander’s TV appearances, Ross trained under him and pursued a career as an artist and instructor before being chosen to carry on Alexander’s legacy. On the final day of the Clearwater class, Kowalski invited Ross to join her and Walt for a meal at a local burger restaurant.
“I told Bob, ‘It’s unfortunate that I had to travel 1500 miles for this class. Would you consider coming to Washington D.C.?’” Kowalski remembered.
Ross agreed but demanded a significant fee. Kowalski quickly reserved a classroom at a nearby Holiday Inn and placed a newspaper ad. Only a handful of attendees showed up. They tried Baltimore and other cities, but the turnout remained poor. The financial pressure grew, and Kowalski’s husband, Walt, eventually suggested a game-changing idea: enlist Bill Alexander to film a commercial where he would symbolically pass a paintbrush to Bob, declaring Ross as his successor.
“Does this make any sense to you?”
Kowalski repeated this question multiple times during our talk, and it always did. Her only confusion arose when recalling the next steps. Initially, she mentioned taking the commercial directly to PBS, but PBS doesn’t broadcast ads. Instead, they aimed to air it during The Phil Donahue Show. However, the footage needed editing, so they sought assistance from a local PBS station. The manager at WNVC in Virginia was so impressed that he immediately offered Ross a TV series. Ross launched The Joy of Painting in 1983, dedicating the first episode to Alexander, and his career took off from there.
See Also: 20 Bob Ross Quotes to Make Life Better
Over three decades later, Bob Ross has achieved worldwide fame. Certified Ross Instructors (CRIs) are spread across the globe, and The Bob Ross Art Workshop in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, showcases approximately 100 of his paintings. His remaining works, totaling over 500, are stored away, with one never-before-seen piece set to be unveiled and taught at the CRI reunion this October. When I asked Kowalski if she could share any exciting details about the artwork, she remained tight-lipped.
“Oh, it’s just another landscape,” she replied.
For those eager to join, becoming a Certified Ross Instructor takes three weeks, leaving ample time to prepare before the reunion and become part of the Ross family.
See Also: What Happened to Bob Ross's Paintings?
The Bob Ross Company, based in Chantilly, Virginia, is where Kowalski continues to promote Ross’s iconic happy clouds and trees through TV and educational programs. She expressed amazement at how his popularity has surged in the digital era but emphasized that it wasn’t accidental, acknowledging the efforts of many behind the scenes. What doesn’t surprise her, however, is the enduring appeal of his work to audiences everywhere.
“The majority of people don’t actually paint; they simply enjoy watching,” she explained. “They love listening to his voice. They just adore Bob.”
