Bob Ross

Anyone think his paintings are a bit shite?

Sort of stuff you see on mass produced calendars stuck up in takeaways.

I only heard of this guy for the first time a few weeks ago. Now he's everywhere (on the telly, as he's dead), what's the deal? He's basically a Seppo Rolf Harris. I like his stuff.

He inherited the technique from a German painter - they staged a ceremonial handing over of the paintbrush on the local TV show they did before Ross did his solo series - and between them they ran a load of night schools teaching people how to paint these landscapes.

Ross never intended to create great art, he was trying to introduce people - many of whom had never thought they could do anything artistic - into creating their own world in which to disappear for a brief time, and to achieve something of which they could be proud.  If they then liked it and wanted to go further, there were other routes they could take.