Whatever Happened To Bob Ross' Son, Steve?

Despite the fact that he died in 1995, there's been a huge Bob Ross renaissance over the last several years. The "happy little trees" painter who delighted viewers and aspiring artists with his PBS show The Joy of Painting, which ran from 1983 to 1994 and currently streams on YouTube and Netflix, remains a quiet, kindly, comforting presence for all who tune in. Ross' guest stars were usually some form of wildlife, including birds, squirrels, and raccoons that he rescued and nursed back to health, but occasionally, he welcomed his son, Steve Ross, as a guest instructor. According to TwoInchBrush.com, Steve appeared in thirteen episodes of The Joy of Painting, including the final episode during which he read viewers' questions to his father as he painted his final televised painting. Like Bob, the younger Ross had his own head of iconic head of hair and encouraging teaching style, making him a fan favorite. 

Steve Ross, like many others, became a Certified Ross Instructor, a program that still exists today for anyone who is interesting in learning the painting and teaching techniques Bob Ross made famous on The Joy of Painting. Although Steve doesn't appear to have his own website, he continues to be a fan favorite, judging from a 2012 tribute video available on YouTube entitled Tribute to Steve Ross (son of Bob Ross) aka Tumblr's Sex God that features "favorite lines and innuendos" compiled from Steve's Joy of Painting appearances. 

Steve is carrying on the family business and tradition. Per The Daily Times of Blount County, Tennessee, in March of 2020 Steve spent a week in residence at the Blount County Public Library, holding painting classes and, in a throwback to his PBS days, giving a public painting demonstration during which he took audience questions. When asked what it was like to see the impact his father had had on people's lives, Steve responded that it was "wonderful! That's what keeps me in this." It's nice to know that a Ross continues to spread the gospel of the happy little trees to one and all.