Gentle Meadow Brook

A quiet brook curls through the center of this landscape, its blue water catching the light as it slips past mossy rocks and grassy banks. Tall evergreens crowd the left side, their dark green needles standing out against a soft sky, while clusters of pink and purple blossoms bring a burst of gentle color to the shoreline. A single bare tree twists upward near the middle of the scene, its thin branches giving the whole composition a nice sense of balance. Golden meadow grasses stretch off toward the right, fading into hazy trees in the distance.

The painting comes from Bob Ross, the friendly host of the television show "The Joy of Painting," who convinced countless viewers that a paintbrush was nothing to be afraid of. He created "Gentle Meadow Brook" in 1987, right around the height of his fame. Using his famous wet-on-wet method, Ross could complete a full landscape in about half an hour, all while talking softly to his audience about happy little trees and the beauty of ordinary places. This scene captures exactly what he loved most, a calm and unhurried piece of nature that anyone could enjoy without needing to understand anything fancy about art.