MONETA, Va. – People have been busy trying new things during stay-at-home orders and social distancing.
One Bedford County high school student has learned to paint from watching a legend.
For Daniel Terry, setting up an easel in his bedroom and slowly painting a canvas is new.
“School closed and I wasn’t really doing much, because I figured we were going to go back to school,” Terry said.
That didn’t happen, and boredom set in for the teenager stuck at home, until one day he got some inspiration.
“Dad was sitting there watching Bob Ross and I decided to watch it with him,” said Terry.
16-year-old Terry said there was just something about the popular 80s artist that captured his attention.
“The way he was painting, he could just tap his brush in a few minutes, and he could have a whole forest of trees,” Terry said.
The bell bottom-wearing, and halo-haired icon is certainly an unexpected source of inspiration for a modern-day teenager, but after watching the TV host, Terry got to work.
“He definitely says in order to get better you have to practice, so I wasn’t satisfied with my very first painting,” Terry said.
He kept going and now has 50 pieces of completed art.
In fact, they are on display at the Moneta/Smith Mountain Lake Library until August 29.
“I really enjoy watching him and then getting an idea from what he did and painting my own thing,” Terry said.
He’s filled the case full of colorful landscapes.
Even though 2020 has been quite the Monet - good from far, but far from good, Daniel has found solace in his new hobby.
“I feel kind of relaxed and calm when I paint. It takes my mind off everything else going on around me,” said Terry.
Finding relaxation in the happy little trees.