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.

In October, Minnetrista will open THE BOB ROSS EXPERIENCE in that original yellow house. WIPB contributed to the creation of the exhibit/experience.

At the height of its popularity (although it could be argued that his popularity continues to grow), THE JOY OF PAINTING aired on virtually every PBS station in the United States, as well as stations in Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, South Korea and Turkey. Today, his program can be seen anywhere, anytime on streaming services such as Hulu, Amazon Prime, Tubi, and YouTube.

Bob would often appear at local events like the Channel 49 Family Fair, where he would sign books or host painting workshops and demonstrations. They were, of course, packed with fans.

In 1988, the show moved to the Ball State University campus into the Edmund F. Ball Communication Building. (WIPB still produces programs in the studios here.) In 1989, Bob said of the show in a Muncie Star interview: “The real talent behind all this is not me. It’s these people here. We all remember what we were filming in before they got this beautiful new station. We were in that little house over there. This crew made it work.”

WIPB proudly displays several of his paintings - and even one of his painter’s palettes - in our lobby.

Bob would often appear at local events like the Channel 49 Family Fair, where he would sign books or host painting workshops and demonstrations. They were, of course, packed with fans.

Bob was a life-long animal lover and in 1990, he and the local WIPB crew attempted to include one of his furry friends - a squirrel on loan from a local animal rescuer Diana Shaffer - in the opening show credits. Alas, another version was chosen.

Bob filmed 30 seasons of the show (over 10 years) with WIPB. He would film an entire series of 13 paintings in just 3 days.

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