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Welcome to Bob’s Happy Home,
Ball State PBS!

In the early 1980s, landscape painter Bob Ross began taping THE JOY OF PAINTING in the original WIPB-TV studio – a two-story yellow L.L. Ball home in Muncie, Indiana.

Ross filmed this simple, soothing half-hour painting series in the small first-floor studio of the house, which still bears the “X” where he stood as he painted his “happy little trees.”

In 1988, WIPB and the show moved to the Ball State University campus into the Edmund F. Ball Communication Building.

Decades after that first episode aired (Jan. 11, 1983), THE JOY OF PAINTING is still airing all over the world and Bob Ross’ soft-spoken legacy lives on.

How much do you know about Bob Ross and his happy little WIPB tree roots? Did you know that THE JOY OF PAINTING was filmed in the WIPB-TV studios?

Here are some more interesting facts about BOB ROSS and his history with WIPB and Ball State University.

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The Bob Ross “Happy Little Words” experience allows users to create their own inspirational pictures, Bob Ross style. Combine iconic Bob Ross paintings with his own words of wisdom to share joy with the people in your life! There’s no right or wrong combination, “…the only prerequisite is that it makes you happy.”

Randomize or create your own masterpiece! And share it when you’re done to spread the joy.

This experience was created by The Digital Corps at Ball State University.

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The Bob Ross “Happy Little Painting” experience allows users to create their own Bob Ross-inspired masterpieces. Complete with an introductory video, “Bob Ross Breaks” showcasing clips from The Joy of Painting, and quotes from the artist himself, the experience immerses users in Bob Ross’s love of nature, imagination, and kindness. Starting with a blank canvas, users can select elements from a variety of Bob Ross paintings, including Skys, Mountains, Middle Grounds, Lakes, Trees, Bushes, and Barns. After designing the perfect painting, users can sign their masterpiece in Bob Ross’s signature red and spread the joy on social media!

This experience was created by The Digital Corps at Ball State University.

THE BOB ROSS® EXPERIENCE is a new documentary that goes behind-the-scenes at the making of a one-of-a-kind interactive museum exhibit devoted to Bob Ross, the beloved artist, and host of THE JOY OF PAINTING® on PBS. Bob Ross inspired generations of viewers with his soft-spoken voice and a pallet knife. With its global reach, it’s hard to imagine that much of his beloved series, THE JOY OF PAINTING, was filmed in an unassuming television studio inside a historic home in Muncie, Indiana. Now the historic home has been transformed into an immersive museum exhibit that transports visitors to where the magic happened. Visitors will step inside the recreated WIPB studio and be inspired by Bob’s enduring message of fearless creativity. Through original artifacts, authentic Bob Ross paintings, and interactive exhibit elements, The Bob Ross Experience brings THE JOY OF PAINTING to life. The months leading up to the opening of this permanent exhibit have been documented by WIPB (now Ball State PBS). From planning to the grand opening, this documentary features interviews with the team who brought the experience to life as well as a behind-the-scenes look at building the interactive ode to the painter.

 

® Bob Ross name and images are registered trademarks of Bob Ross Inc. © Bob Ross Inc. Used with permission.