March 28, 2024

Last Thursday, students were able to channel their artistic talents and create their own masterpieces with “Bob Ross Night” hosted by the Wittenberg Art League (WAL).
WAL provided a fun night showing the teachings of the late Bob Ross, who became popular on PBS programming with his show, “The Joy of Painting.” The supplies were all provided by WAL, as well as some refreshments.
Known for his beautiful landscapes, the participants tried to follow along with one of Ross’ episodes.
“The idea came about last semester when our president Kate Egald suggested brainstorming ideas to get more people to come to events,” said Melissa Miller, the treasurer of the club. “We decided on Bob Ross because of his popularity, and because he seemed really fun to follow along with.”
Caitlin Green, the president of the club was very happy with the event overall. “We hit a few problems; the room got switched at the last minute, but it worked out great still.”
The event had a good turnout, with a total of 14 students. Even though the room consisted of all girls, there was still a diverse group, from art majors to students who have rarely picked up a paint brush.
While Ross was able to created a richly detailed landscape by the end of the 30 minutes,  the students took it at their own pace, pausing to see the progress Ross had made on his.
The room was full of laughter and banter, with each and every painter enjoying themselves regardless of the final outcome. As Ross would say, “there are no mistakes in painting, only happy accidents.” Prizes were awarded to the top three paintings as a little incentive to follow along.
“It was actually hard to choose from what we got,” said Green. “There were a lot of really good paintings which was great!”
The group is also trying to sponsor a few more events this semester, including a walking group to go view the Ansel Adams show at the Springfield Art Museum, a trip to the Columbus Art Museum, and a chance to curate a show along with faculty later in the semester.
“Our goal is to create a community in the arts on campus, and in Springfield,” said Green. “We want this group to be about art and the appreciation of art, regardless of your major or artistic abilities.”
Be on the lookout for these upcoming events, and “like” their Facebook page for information: www.facebook.com/wittenbergartleague.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *