SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — At just 8 years old, Brandon Ricca is already making a name for himself with a paintbrush. He’s turning inspiration from the iconic artist Bob Ross into impressive works of his own.
The third grader at Boulevard Elementary School in Shaker Heights has been painting landscapes for less than a year, but his work shows a level of detail and confidence well beyond his age.
That short time has been enough to develop a deep admiration for Ross, the iconic, soft-spoken host of The Joy of Painting, which aired on PBS from 1983 to 1994. Known for his calming voice and signature perm, Ross created more than 400 episodes demonstrating oil painting techniques, often finishing a full landscape in just 30 minutes…