Write your message of sympathy today. In 2015, that number was still only about $40,000, but the following year it rocketed to $460,000. The second break came as a result of completely random events, one of those happy little accidents that seemed to go hand in hand with Bobs rise. Loving mother of the late Wayne. Despite the challenges, they finally started to gain traction as they pounded the pavement and figured out the intricacies of the hobby-art business. In fact, in the months immediately following Bobs death in the summer of 1995, Annette and Walt had launched a series of lawsuits and financial claims against Bobs estate, his widow, his half-brother, and a dermatologist in Indiana who moonlit as the writer-producer of a short-lived PBS childrens show about a talking tree in which Bob had posthumously appeared. Television artist Bob Ross inspired generations of young painters to explore their creativity and use their "happy accidents" to create beautiful images on the canvas. Would love your thoughts, please comment. He made a blizzard of last-minute changes to his will, most notably inserting a clause specifically addressing his name, likeness, and the rest of his intellectual property. It almost made me angry the first time I saw Alexander on TV, Bob later explained in the first season of The Joy of Painting. Bob arrived and told them about his background, how he had trained with Bill, and what he loved about painting. Barring a miracle, the Kowalski familys company will own Bob Rosss name and likeness, and financially benefit from his good name, for as long as theres money to be made off of it. The subtlest of shifts marked the new order: at the start of his seventh series in late 1985, rather than refer to Bills Magic White, Bob called it liquid whitehis version of the same product. His motto, in life as in painting, was that you cant have the light without the dark. His original paintings are also prized items that sometimes sell for thousands of dollars. But Bob Ross was no average joe. Jumping headlong into a business venture wasnt out of the ordinary for the Kowalskis. The documentary even alleged that the family convinced Bob's half brother to agree to a settlement for the . According to those same people, Walts defining featurewhat jumped out immediately upon meeting himwere his eyes. After a year of claims and counterclaimsand depositions about odorless thinner, brush beater racks, bungee-cord easels, and other items one imagines made their first-ever appearances in federal courtthe lawyers had finally made their cases. And it starts with a chance encounter between then-U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Robert Norman Ross and a former Nazi conscript named Wilhelm Bill Alexander. However, after Steve Ross filed a lawsuit in 2017, a judge determined that Bob Ross could not give the company to new owners when he owned a minority share in the company, the Daily Beast reported. As the words of kindness flashed across the screen, as he took stock of it all, suddenly a deep emotion welled up inside and barreled toward him like a freight train. They were in the art business, and a business it most certainly was. Most of what we know about Bob's third marriage has been made public in the decades following his death, due to the legal battles over his estate. Beloved wife of the late Ereal Kowalski. And there was an actual tape recording of the conversation. The filmmakers also did not tell BRI the film would appear on Netflix, the statement said. All in all, the company was generating around a half-million dollars each year for the partners to divide. Rather, in the early 1980s perms were in stylefor men and womenand a Florida hairdresser had convinced Bob it was particularly low-maintenance. Annette first met Ross following the death of her son, who died as the result of a car accident. Not only did Bob become a bona fide celebrity with appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, Regis and Kathy Lee, and Donahue, among many other pop-culture moments, but the fame also hit the bottom line. In early 1985, the die was finally cast. Dennis was always on the lookout for up-and-coming talent with whom he could partner, and Bobs style and demeanor appealed to his own aesthetic preference for happy art. Seeing an opportunity, he approached Bob at a tradeshow and invited him to coffeeand, according to Dennis, they made a deal right then and there. Although John believes Bob truly wanted his legacy to rest in the hands of his son, he also thinks there was another reason for the last-minute changes to the will: vindictiveness on Bobs part. Theyre using his name without permission. Through the media, she also threatened to yank WIPB as the presenting station for The Joy of Paintinga threat she would ultimately make good on. He was a stickler on product development, and Joan allowed that Bob could be kind of a terror about some aspects of the business. The Kowalskis expenses werent limited to just the company credit cards though. In 2016, Ross' former business partner, Annette Kowalski, told NPR about the painter's final days, after he learned the diagnosis was terminal. Her oldest son died at age 25, and she fell into a deep depression, she said. Annette may have omitted a couple of important details. There was a larger irony at play, if it can be called that. "Bob was not always full of compliments, but he said to me, 'Annette, you are the wind beneath my wings.' He ended up serving on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, was wounded in action, and eventually found himself in an American POW camp in France. And indeed, Bobs death had dragged Steve into a dark depression from which he almost didnt escape. Sadly, this relationship between Ross and Annette came about because of a horrific tragedy. She had short brown hair and wasn't afraid to pursue a man romantically. Get up, get in the car, were going, Walt ordered. Finally, finally, were doing what Bob wanted and truly spreading his message to the masses at the scale about which he dreamed. Thus, after her death, Bob only owned one-third of the company that bore his namea situation that could not have sat well with a man who was used to being in charge. And in a few short months, theyd also send lawsuits. Call our main office at 219-322-7300 to find out more about the customized services we can offer your family when the time comes. Bob was especially eager to explore ways to impart his sweet persona and the joy he found in making art with even non-painters, too especially children through collectibles, toys and knickknacks, and he was the driving creative force within the company until his passing. And the year after that, 2017, Bob Ross-branded products were kicking off well north of a million dollars in licensing fees to Bob Ross, Inc., in almost pure profit. WIPBs facilities might have been tiny at the timethey shot in a converted living room in a converted Victorian housebut it was far more technically advanced than the Virginia station. Christine "Tina" Graytok Christine "Tina" Graytok, 91, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 17, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. Many of the corporate expenses were charged to Bobs company card, but quite a few were on Annettes. The statement said Bob Ross may not have shared details of the company with others while he was alive, and said some assertions made in the film were rejected by a court of law in 2019.. That sentiment, however, would not last much longer. Somehow, he lifted me up out of that depression. It also immediately blew a hole in Denniss balance sheet so big the company was suddenly at mortal risk. The Kowalskis could, however, go lower. . Powered by. Even if you started watching "The Joy of Painting" to make fun of his calm demeanor, whispery voice, and tendency to anthropomorphize every object he painted with characteristics that would please a toddler, by the end of the episode you were saying, "Wow, that's really good!". Bob and Jane Ross, and Annette and Walt Kowalski, officially filed incorporation papers in Virginia for Bob Ross, Inc. All four were technically equal partners, although most knew that Bob was the decision-maker. Steve took a deep breath, and he began crying. That was particularly true when it came to his name and likeness, which for obvious reasons was a bit more personal than some of the items the company clearly did own, like the copyrights to instructional art books or trademarked cartoons of Bob on paint products. The Bob Ross renaissance opened up a whole new world of money-making opportunities. Stranger still, it wasnt the companys first brush with federal and other lawsuits. She is survived by : her siblings, Carole of Walpole and Dan (Fran Quintilliani) of Plymouth; her nephews, Joseph, Ken Ferrelli and Danny; her niece Lisa Quintiliani; and her pet Patsy. Before this program, though, PBS featured another artist: Bill Alexander. Instead, it was just a way to express that he just wanted things done his way and he was wonderful., Catch Up With Bob Ross Son Steve After His Joy Of Painting Appearances, Ross was actually setting himself up for a seminar that led to an apprenticeship, Barbara Eden Opens Up About The Loss Of Her Son Matthew In 2001, Firemans Children Put Hilarious Spin On His Obituary, Exactly How Hed Want. It was in Washington, D.C., that she met and married a young soldier, Walt Kowalski. Both had military backgroundsand no small misgivings about that. He was absolutely competent at that time. You know, its a business, Joan told The Daily Beast with regard to the companys reputation among some of the other artists. Through their efforts, Bob continues to teach us all how to turn life's happy accidents into things of beauty. But the real issue between the Kowalskis and Ross started after Ross's wife died . Annette Kowalski Obituary. Them: How excited are you for the Bob Ross documentary? None of the Kowalskis attended the funeral. She piled on, saying that Bobs last words to me were that he was very, very upset over what Terry had done, and he refused to pay him for his share of the production. In 2016, Ross' former business partner, Annette Kowalski, told NPR about the painter's final days, after he learned the diagnosis was terminal. We dont see any problem.. One day, as the two looked out over a nearby lake, Bob became uncharacteristically open with his feelings about her. In fact, while he was pretty popular as the host of a syndicated television show, his renown has really exploded with the advent of the internet and 21st-century nostalgia for decades past. After class, she asked if he could teach a class near her home in Washington, D.C. God is inside everything, including us, he said. Some seminars and demonstrations went smashingly welland others came up woefully short. The Joy of Painting became one of the top shows on PBS nationwide. But the show was the perfect ad campaign for his line of painting kits, video tapes, and how-to painting books. According to Robert, Dennis Kapp, the head of the paint manufacturer Martin F. Weber, was on the other end of the lineand he had just passed along the terrible news of Bob Rosss death. By this point, Bob had shed his military bearing and become a true man of the 80swith a bit of a hippy 70s throwback vibe for good measure. He just wanted to be done with the Kowalskis. As much as Bob and Bill may have appeared radically different on the surface, on a more fundamental level, its not hard to see why they hit it off. If not for the efforts of the remaining founders and their dedication to this mission, Bobs artistic and cultural relevance would have been lost decades ago with his passing. Bob Ross Inc. was established, and Walt and Annette Kowalski became Ross' business partners. On July 4, 1995, Bob Ross felt that vibration as he became part of his God. We enthusiastically support the public television system, a true American treasure; art-related education and charitable projects, including with the Smithsonian and the U.S. Air Force First Sergeant Academy; and the new Bob Ross Experience museum in Muncie, Indiana. Simultaneously, Walt and Annette fronted the costs to buy Magic painting supplies from Bills company, so theyd sell those as well during the classes. After seeing media reports about the films summer release, Bob Ross Inc. attempted to reach out to the filmmakers in May 2021 to offer comment. The second, and not unrelated, change in Bobs life was more practical: a job offer to work for Bills company when he got out of the military. Several dozen artists have converged here for a painting workshop unlike any other in recent memory. Annette and Walt Kowalski are a married couple known for being the business partners of Bob Ross. He was the son of the late John, Sr. and Barbara (Harris). That episode, Treasure Beyond Measure, aired two months after Bob died. Bob would get a leg up using Bills name to sell his services, and Bill would keep expanding his companys reach and spreading the Alexander technique via Bob. On TV at least, he had achieved one of his explicit goals in life: to become immortal. The initial concern that The Joy of Painting might fade from the airwaves was quickly put to rest. They started a family, having five children over a span of nine years. Namely, suing a PBS childrens TV show for a half-million dollars as well as the very PBS station, WIPB, that had for a decade been home to The Joy of Painting. In addition to demanding the destruction of any merchandise related to The Adventures of Elmer & Friends, all profits Terry had reaped, and triple the damages Bob Ross, Inc., had allegedly incurred, the suit also tacked on $500,000 as a penalty for Terrys allegedly encouraging, assisting, and cooperating with Bob Ross in the breach of his fiduciary duty of loyalty to Bob Ross, Inc.. It was an audacious ask, a brazen attempt to push Bob to do something he was likely never going to do. Annette fell into a depression, the sort that left her in an almost catatonic state. Alas, there werent any with the masterbut one of Bills instructors was teaching a class in Clearwater, Florida. Steve and Lawrence joined forces with one of Bobs best friends, Dana Jester, and formed an LLC. More work was more work. One of his students, Annette Kowalski, was "mesmerized" by the jolly painter and encouraged him to strike out on his own. With their newfound knowledge, all they really needed were a few breaks to expand beyond the teaching circuit. Especially now that, in the late 1970s, he had found fame and a little fortune as a PBS painting celebrity so famous that the following year hed win an Emmy for his TV show, The Magic of Oil Painting. Perhaps most importantly, they both had an inestimable awe of Mother Nature and all of her creationsfrom the trees and lakes of their paintings, to the various animals that later roamed their respective homesteads. It was a six-page contract, full of legalese and posturing, all with a single purpose: complete and total ownership over Bob Ross, his name, his likeness, and anything and everything he had ever touched or createdforever. Joseph 'Joe' Kowalski, 51 Obituary and service information from Adams-Green Funeral Home. But if you would like you can do anything not painting- or art-related that you want. And this characteristic led him to keep a secret from his fans and the rest of the public over the last few years of his life. (Some rumors falsely claimed that Lynda was actually Vicky after a name change.) Which included one in which Annette or Walt gave him permission to do the show. Their expenses dated all the way back to April of 1994, 15 months before Bob died. Yes, Bob Ross is a beacon of light in an ever-darkening worldan endless stream of soothing bon mots perfectly at home in the meme-and-merchandise internet era. In reality, it was almost exactly the opposite: an example of the two men working together as part of the same company. Bobs presence, inspiring positive outlook on everyday things, and his celebrated ability to provide serenity to audiences of all ages together, as accurately captured in the film, create the phenomenon we see today and are part of a business platform designed to nurture and amplify his gifts and turn them into the worlds treasure. If not for the efforts of the remaining founders and their dedication to this mission, Bobs artistic and cultural relevance and his expressed desire to become the worlds most beloved painting teacher and friend would have been lost decades ago with his passing. Ross ended up teaching the class in a five-day workshop, initiating a business deal with Annette that saw her become his manager. Had the filmmakers communicated with openness in their correspondence, Bob Ross Inc. could have provided valuable information and context in an attempt to achieve a more balanced and informed film. Loving mother of the late Wayne Rolek. Dec 22, 2019 at 3:01 am. We mourn with the family of Annette Kowalski for this great loss. (78 years old). According to Celebrity Net Worth, everyone's favorite art teacher was worth a cool $10 million at the time of his death. Despite the inglorious setting, on this day, at this hour, the 4-H is about to become the temporary center of the Bob Ross universe. In effect, to become the frontman for the Martin F. Weber art-supply company. If none of these were business expenses, and instead Annette was there solely in her capacity as one of Bobs close friends to support him in his time of needwell, with friends like these, who needs enemies. When Bob hit his 20 years of active duty, he hung up his uniform and was free of Uncle Sams grip for the first time since he had enlisted at age 18. All they appeared to be doing was copying Bills product line almost to a tee, from their own version of Bills basecoat Magic White, to the same lineup of brushes that Bill had created over many years of trial and error, to Bills revered over-sized palette knife. Nor was it in the bustling suburbs of Washington, D.C., where Bob Ross, Inc., was founded and still resides. Annette (Quintiliani) Langdon Kowalski, 78, of Walpole, Mass., formerly of Dedham and Mashpee, on Dec. 14, 2019 after complications from a fall and a brief interlude with cancer. It would be a lot of money, which we needed at that point, Joan said. Annette Kowalski (USA 1944-) discovered Bob Ross, teacher in her painting class. But that wasnt the real reason for the call. Robert Warren was seeing red, and it wasnt the alizarin-crimson paint on his palette. The depression also affected his livelihood. In his final few months, Bob altered his will to specifically address these issues. In fact, the title shed give him over friend was tyrant. But that wasnt necessarily a condemnation. The Kowalskis agreed to pay Bob a stipend and give him room and board at their houseand hed teach all the classes they could arrange. Thats how he found himself attending his first workshop on the Alexander technique. On it were a logo of Bobs frizzy-headed smiling visage known around the world, his name, birth date, death date, and only two tiny words to sum up everything about his incredible life: Television Artist.. In meetings over contract negotiations, for example, Bob would kindly defer to Uncle Walt rather than play the hammer himself if a contentious point arose. Unfortunately, he was taken from the world all too soon at the age of just 52. Something for which there is no monetary value. Steve Ross admiring a picture of his father. A faith based in the natural world and its myriad wonders. At the end of the day, hed break it all down, pack up, and move on. Dennis wasnt the only one pondering the future of a business. He developed an entire venture around landscape paintings on gold pansprecisely the Alaskan-themed keepsake that sold like hotcakes to tourists and locals alike. The official Bob Ross The Joy of Paintingchannel has just under five million subscribers, and his videos regularly rack up seven- and eight-digit view tallies. (508) 668-1960 The Kowalskis entire case was built on a lie so egregious that Terrys lawyer thought he had a slam-dunk case to go after the Kowalskis for filing a blatantly frivolous lawsuit. Would you like to offer Annette Kowalskis loved ones a condolence message? Rinse, repeat. She pitched him to PBS. Sign up to get local obituaries delivered to your inbox each morning from Tuesday through Sunday. In the years that The Joy of Painting ran, Ross painted for 381 of the 403 episodes. Because Bob Ross appears in that video, they are claiming that it is an infringement of their trademark, Terrys attorney explained to The Muncie Evening Press at the time. She was pre-deceased by her husband Jack Kowalski and her parents, Jennie and Dan Quintilliani, and best friend for life, Charlotte and husband Bob Castagnola. It helped that they werent trying to reinvent the wheel. Other times, he showcased guests painting. We are part of God, and the vibration of God is within us.. For the first time, he learned about the final amendment to his fathers willthe one that theoretically turned over the intellectual property to him. "you have to have a little sadness once in a while, so you know when the good times come. Nor does it begin in the backwaters of Muncie, Indiana, where almost all 403 episodes of his international smash-hit television show The Joy of Painting were filmed. The year was 1978, and, after a deployment in Thailand at the tail end of the Vietnam War, Bob had spent the last several years at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, just down the road from Coeur dAlene. The coffin may have been a Rolls Royce of burial devices, but the tombstone was anything but. Annette did as she was told, and they drove 1,000 miles south to the outskirts of Tampa to meet this so-called Bob Ross. By the end of the 1980s, records made public as part of Steves lawsuit show that each of the four partners was making around $85,000 ($180,000 today). At that time, there was an old German man who painted on television on PBS, and his name was Bill Alexander. Steve Ross in 2021: Where Is Bob Ross Son Today. She showed up at the hotel at the appointed time along with a few dozen other students. As their daughter Joan Kowalski, now in charge of Bob Ross, Inc., explained to The Daily Beast, the two of them had always been perpetually in motion, with various side hustles to augment Walts government salary so they could give all of their children the chance to go to college. #art pic.twitter.com/A3LXGRxTyD, Rebecca Forster (@Rebecca_Forster) May 27, 2016. For what some saw as their efforts to stymie Bobs new ventures like the childrens TV show. Although she loved being a mother, she truly cherished her role as GramAnnette to her grandkids. Revenge against the Kowalskis for what they had put him through in his final year. The documentary alleges that Ross and Annette had an affaira charge that the Kowalski family dismisses as false. NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) August 25, 2021. Eventually, the company was passed down to the Kowalskis' daughter. In other words, Bob Ross, Inc., owned it all. One platform on which they've found huge success has been YouTube. Let's take a look at the painter's final 12 months and see how such a colorful life was cut so tragically short. We provided a comprehensive statement, and the filmmakers chose not to use it. They pooled together their life savings, launched Bob Ross, Inc., and set out to make Ross into a TV star. After several months of manual labor mixing and canning paints at Bills headquarters in Salem, Oregon, Bob finally hit the road as one of Bills two traveling master apprentices to spread Bills techniqueand sell his line of Magic paint products. All of the products and merchandise seen today are just another way to share Bobs message of positivity with people around the world. Suggested donation : American Cancer Society, Funeral arrangement under the care ofJames H Delaney & Son Funeral Home. It was small, flat, and generally inconspicuous. Bill expected his apprentices to use the same language that had struck such a chord with his audience. In addition to the property they said was theirs, the Kowalskis also made claims against the estate for business and personal reimbursements. A close artist friend of Bills, Robert Warren, recalled the exact moment when Bill found out that Bob had struck out on his own. And certainly one that she and Walt likely didnt mention when their lawyers castigated Bob for his lack of loyalty to Bob Ross, Inc. He billed himself as The Happy Alaskana play on Bills nickname The Happy Painter, a moniker Bob would eventually assume for himself. Call it encouragement by purring self-affirmation. Instead, Bobs third wife, whom he married only two months before he died, came to occupy a prominent place in the estate. In other words, Bob Ross, Inc., owned not just Bobs paintings but Bob himself. According to The Daily Beast, when his cancer returned, Annette and Walk Kowalski pressured Bob to sign over all the rights of his likeness to the company. And although he's gone, he still continues to make lots of money for his heirs via the company he founded. She also leaves behind many whom she befriended and second-mothered over the years who will miss her dearly. That is, until the legal confrontation with Bob Ross, Inc., rekindled his fire and brought him to Winchester for the workshop with Dana. Kind aunt of Kathy Padgett and her family, and several other nieces and nephews. He wasn't big on interviews. The trio even went ahead and filed a trademark to use a sketch of Bobs face on rolling papers and other weed- and tobacco-related products. Joan explained to The Daily Beast that her expansion into Bob Ross licensing beyond paint products was little more than a happy little accident. Both were easy to laugh and quick to crack a joke, often of the ribald variety. Still, his viewers had to suspect something when they were forced to watch reruns instead of new paintings. On the creative front, Bob was far better in front of the camera, and his plainspoken, down-home vibe was much more in line with the grounded sensibilities of a place like Indianaand, it would turn out, much of the rest of the country. The first was that his passion for painting had turned into an obsession. - Annette (Quintiliani) Langdon Kowalski, 78, of Walpole, Mass., formerly of Dedham and Mashpee, on Dec. 14, 2019 after You can share 5 more gift articles this month. He even uses one of Bobs old easels, and later on hell show off other memorabilia like the BOB ROSS vanity plate that graced Bobs corvette. I want Bob back.". We own that name, Annette snapped to The Star Press. Annette revealed, Bob used to lay in bed at night, he told me, he rehearsed every word. She went on, He knew exactly what he was going to say on every one of those programs. Ross wanted control and mastery over every aspect of the series, especially how it came across to viewers. It was like he lost his son., It broke his heart, and he never spoke to him again.. BRI released a lengthy statement in response to the Netflix film, saying the portrayal of the company was inaccurate and denied specific assertions made in the film. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Although she loved being a mother, she truly cherished her role as GramAnnette to her grandkids. He was laser-focused, detail-oriented, and driven to excel. His show was a huge success for the channel not just in the UnitedStates; "The Joy of Painting"was also syndicated in Canada, Latin America, and Europe, boasting millions of weekly viewers and his art supply company took off and made money as a result of that celebrity. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. Annette lived most of her life in Dedham (DHS Class of 1959), where she married, raised her children and had a variety of jobs. I just think that Bob knew how to woo people. In the final analysis, the Kowalskis approach proved to be a winning strategy. In many respects, the case was a blast from the pasta redux of the earlier 1995 lawsuits against Bobs estate about work for hire, oral contracts, trademarks, and copyrights. It was a ray of sunlight in the dark and tumultuous storm that had enveloped her, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise hopeless existence. She retired in 2016 and moved to Walpole to be closer to family. And on Thursday, when its Steves turn to teach, he is as he will be throughout the four days of painting and socializing over pizza and beer: talkative, funny, empathetic, and with such brimming artistic talent that its almost like hes performing a magic show whenever he puts his brush on the canvas. Bill, a man of 70 long years, who had survived hell on earth and vowed to be thankful for every day thereaftera man whose happiness buoyed all around himthat same Bill Alexander broke down and cried. Joan was stupid enough to do it, and thats what triggered me to pursue a lawsuit. Over the past number of years, Bob Ross products had become a dominant force on his balance sheets. Bob had long mastered the basics of the Alexander technique, but now it was time to master the performative element. Loving mother of the late Wayne Rolek. His obituary in The New York Times mentions his second wife, Jane, who died in 1993, but says nothing of Lynda. As his geographic footprint expanded by leaps and bounds, Bob quickly established himself as one of the top working TV artists. This only came to light when Terry was on the phone commiserating with Lynda. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. 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Her grandkids time, there werent any with the family of Annette Kowalski ( USA 1944- ) discovered Ross. Force on his palette a settlement for the call their condolences on this memorial page and share them the. Dark depression from which he almost didnt escape you would like you can do anything not or! As their efforts to stymie Bobs new ventures like the childrens TV show service information from Funeral. Frontman for the to teach us all how to woo people kits, video tapes and... Pursue a man romantically late John, Sr. and Barbara ( Harris ) others came up woefully.... Campaign for his line of painting might fade from the airwaves was quickly put to rest do he. Her expansion into Bob Ross son Today Treasure beyond Measure, aired two months after Bob.. Teacher was Worth a cool $ 10 million at the age of just 52 his final.. The following year it rocketed to $ 460,000 219-322-7300 to find out more the... 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