A handout photo of "Winter's Peace" painted by television host Bob Ross in 1993. The painting is set to be auctioned Nov. 11 to provide funds for local public broadcasting following federal budget cuts made by Republicans that have impacted NPR and PBS.

LOS ANGELES – Thirty paintings created by Bob Ross, a beloved public television host and artist famous for his signature bushy hair and soothing voice, will be auctioned to offset the cost of programming for publicly funded stations that have been impacted by deep cuts in federal funding.

“This auction ensures his legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades,” Joan Kowalski, President of Bob Ross Inc., said in a statement provided to USA TODAY on Oct. 7. “I can’t think of a more meaningful way to share his works of art than by supporting public television’s mission to educate and inspire.”

Bonhams in Los Angeles will auction three paintings on Nov. 11, followed by auctions in London, New York, Boston and online, according to the Associated Press. All profits will go to stations that use productions from American Public Television.

Bob Ross hosted “The Joy of Painting,” a television show that aired on PBS from 1983 to 1994. He later built a multimillion-dollar business that included how-to books and art supplies featuring his image on each tube of paint, according to The New York Times. He died from cancer in 1995 at the age of 52.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this year to cut over $1 billion in funding designated for public broadcasting, including PBS and NPR, amid allegations of “partisanship and left-wing propaganda” that taxpayer money should not be funding.

Local stations, which are much more reliant on federal grants than their national counterparts, have borne the brunt of the lost funding, resulting in layoffs and programming cuts.

What paintings will be up for auction?

The first three paintings will be up for sale at Bonham’s Nov. 11 “California & Western Art” auction in Los Angeles.

They include: “Cliffside,” painted in 1990; “Winter’s Peace,” painted in 1993; and “Home in the Valley,” painted in 1993.

“Bonhams holds the world record for Bob Ross, and with his market continuing to climb, proceeds benefiting American Public Television, and many of the paintings created live on air — a major draw for collectors — we expect spirited bidding and results that could surpass previous records,” Robin Starr, General Manager of Bonhams, said in a statement provided to USA TODAY.

The auction house estimates “Winter’s Peace” and “Home in the Valley” could fetch between $30,000 $50,000, and “Cliffsides” could yield $25,000 to $40,000.

Bohnams said it will announce other auctions at a later date.

Contributing: Emily DeLetter, Savannah Kuchar – USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bob Ross paintings being auctioned to support public television stations

Reporting by James Powel, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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