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Jeanne Firment was inspired to paint by watching artist Bob Ross teach viewers how to paint with oil on his popular show “The Joy of Painting” on PBS. Jeanne noted that she watched Bob Ross paint on television when she was young and said “Bob Ross will always be the main influencer of my work. I don’t think I would have learned to paint if it wasn’t for Bob! Very grateful!”
Jeanne is one of a very small collection of “Certified Bob Ross Landscape” instructors who teach at the Bob Ross Experience in Muncie, Indiana, which is the location where Bob filmed his “Joy of Painting” series. Oil continues to be her preferred medium because it stays wet and allows plenty of time for blending on the canvas. She also loves oils because they retain their vibrant color when the art dries.
Jeanne loves to paint and to teach and relishes the joy and pride from the students when they complete a painting. Her advice to students is to practice! She encourages, “If you want to improve your skills, you will want to practice painting. Painting should make you feel happy! Painting always makes me feel happy! I admire students who try something new even though they may be afraid or think they can’t do it. It takes courage to try new things!”
We asked Jeanne who inspires her work today - in addition to Bob Ross - and she really enjoys Kevin Hill, who hosts “Paint with Kevin”. She notes that Kevin is a very talented painter who initially started his painting career as a teenager using Bob Ross’ wet-on-wet painting method and, over time, has developed his own unique painting techniques. She shared that she just returned from attending one of Kevin Hill’s workshops.
What else does Jeanne want to learn? Next, she wants to learn portrait painting and has started to practice using the method from Chris Fornataro.
At Art Dock, we like to hear about the artists’ earliest memories of creating art. Jeanne recalled that she created many “masterpieces” in elementary school and remembers painting her very first Bob Ross style painting when she was a teenager. She still has that painting!
Hope you can enjoy the Bob Ross painting experience taught by Jeanne! Her next class is at Harbourtown Fine Arts Center in Vermilion on Saturday, January 27. Book your seat at Artdock.org!
Jeanne Firment (left) and Amy Kneisley, Art Dock co-founder, at a summer class at the Canoe Club Wine Bar in Marblehead, Ohio.
