I've been to Orlando several times in my life-several when I was a kid, once or twice when I was a teenager, and the last time I think back in 2015 or 2016. When I was there in October 2022, Lynanne let me know she had somewhere she wanted to take me. It was Oct. 31 and we'd flown in the day before. Little did I know, she was going to cross something off my bucket list. I've always wanted to visit the grave of Bob Ross, he's the reason I started taking painting seriously. What's interesting is that, even though it was on my bucket list, I didn't know where he was buried. For some reason, I thought he was buried in Muncie, IN and I figured I might just go when I retired.
Just 10-15 minutes outside of Orlando is Woodlawn Memorial Park, where Bob Ross is buried. As stated in the above paragraph, he is the reason I began painting landscapes and I learned the basics of painting from him. Regardless of what the Kowalskis did to his son, Steve, (who I think got an extremely raw deal) and legacy, I'm forever grateful to what I learned from Bob Ross. It all started with his Joy of Painting series that I found a love for painting like I hadn't before. He simplified it and made it fun. Yes, it can be stressful and demanding, but it's so rewarding to take something that you see in your mind, or in nature, or in life, and put it on canvas. There's no feeling like it.
You're literally taking a snapshot of one singular moment and recreating it. And, if it's painted right, the audience will experience that moment as well. People often leave little art supplies at the site, and while I was tempted, I decided not to. Besides, they throw that shit away every so often.
It was an emotional moment for me. He was the teacher I never had, and the reason I became the artist I am today.
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