HOWARD FINSTER
Valley Head, Alabama. 1916-2001
Howard Finster was an American artist and Baptist minister from Georgia. His work was inspired by his faith, and the word of God telling him to spread the gospel through art and sculpture; leading to the creation of “Paradise Garden” a plot of land with over 46,000 pieces of art. His work is categorized as outsider art, naïve art, and visionary art. With multiple musicians such as The Talking Heads and R.E.M using his work for album covers; Finster gained notoriety and recognition across America. His fame also brought outsider art to millions, as well as introducing scripture to all those who saw it; as his works almost always feature a biblical verse on them. Finster's work is often brightly colored and full of detail, sometimes featuring the likes of cultural icons like Elvis, Ronald Reagan, George Washington and other widely recognizable figures.
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His can be found in a large amount of private and public collections; most notably, a large permanent collection at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.
Elvis at 3, 1990, Sculpture, 8 x 5 1/8 x 3 3/4 in.
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