Skip to main content

Howard Finster Art

American, 1917-2001

Best known for his Paradise Garden, which he built in Pennville, Georgia, Howard Finster was a self-taught artist whose folksy brand of postmodern art strongly reflected the gregarious personality he was known for. Energetic and fantastical, Finster's paintings and prints come alive with spectacular detail and color. His work is crowded with text, Surrealist figures and miniature crosses, eyeballs, birds and stars.

A baptist minister by trade until his formal retirement in 1965, Finster spoke of an inspiration that came to him from on high. He experienced visions and claimed to hear the word of God in childhood, and often referred to himself as a “stranger from another world.” His visions led to a body of work he termed “sacred art,” a numbered series of thousands of paintings with strong religious overtones that took the form of text excerpts from the Bible and his own sermons. Finster painted portraits of Elvis Presley, James Dean and Abraham Lincoln, along with angels, devils, aliens and folklore figures like Santa Claus.

Prior to painting, Finster started constructing Paradise Garden, his most ambitious work, in the 1960s. A testament to human innovation and a tribute to God, this two-acre art environment consisted of varied recycled materials, concrete and sculptures. Its walls and walkways were embedded with TV tubes, bicycle parts and other found objects and scrap bits of metal sourced from Finster's repair business.

Finster began to exhibit his riveting folk art in 1976, when several of his pieces were included in “Missing Pieces: Georgia Folk Art, 1770-1976,” hosted at the Atlanta Historical Society and the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences in Savannah, among other institutions. The artist and his Paradise Garden were featured in the 1983 music video for American rock band R.E.M.'s song “Radio Free Europe.” Soon afterward, Finster was commissioned by another band, Talking Heads, to design the cover for the act’s Little Creatures album. Although he already had a fairly large local following, this exposure gave Finster's work national attention.

Finster died in 2001, leaving behind a legacy of what is now known as outsider art that could fill entire museums — more than 46,000 sculptures, paintings, prints and other works. The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia, holds the largest collection of Finster's work.

Find authentic Howard Finster paintings and other art on 1stDibs.

to
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
11,660
2,882
2,492
1,603
1
Artist: Howard Finster
“George Washington”
“George Washington”

“George Washington”

By Howard Finster

Located in Warren, NJ

Howard Finster George Washington Wooden Sculpture Painted. In good condition measures 10x7

Category

20th Century Howard Finster Art

Materials

Wood

Related Items
Tire d’aile (avec Natacha) by Cécile Raynal - Stoneware sculpture, wood, pigment
Tire d’aile (avec Natacha) by Cécile Raynal - Stoneware sculpture, wood, pigment

Tire d’aile (avec Natacha) by Cécile Raynal - Stoneware sculpture, wood, pigment

By Cécile Raynal

Located in Paris, FR

Tire d’aile (with Natacha) is a unique smoke-fired stoneware sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 115 × 43 × 30 cm (45.2 × 16.9 × 11.8 in). This scul...

Category

2010s Contemporary Howard Finster Art

Materials

Pigment, Stoneware, Wood

Ubik by Lesley Hilling - Contemporary salvaged wood Sculpture
Ubik by Lesley Hilling - Contemporary salvaged wood Sculpture

Ubik by Lesley Hilling - Contemporary salvaged wood Sculpture

By Lesley Hilling

Located in DE

This piece gradually transitions in tone from white through grey into black, creating a delicate and intricate structure that houses small artifacts of memory. The found objects and ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Howard Finster Art

Materials

Wood, Found Objects

The Busty Dog
The Busty Dog

Marc ZimmermanThe Busty Dog, 2023

$1,500

H 31 in W 9 in D 1.5 in

The Busty Dog

By Marc Zimmerman

Located in Carmel, CA

This masterpiece is exhibited in the Zimmerman Gallery, Carmel CA. Dive into the whimsical realm of mystique with this utterly enchanting totem. Crafted with meticulous detail, this...

Category

2010s Contemporary Howard Finster Art

Materials

Clay, Wood, Glaze

Wall sculpture, hand-carved cow, eucalyptus and chainsaw, natural wood
Wall sculpture, hand-carved cow, eucalyptus and chainsaw, natural wood

Wall sculpture, hand-carved cow, eucalyptus and chainsaw, natural wood

By Alvaro de la Vega

Located in Carballo, ES

Hand-carved eucalyptus wood sculpture by the artist Álvaro de la Vega (1954, Lugo, Spain) in 20006. It is part of a series of sculptures of bodies and animals made with chisel and ha...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Howard Finster Art

Materials

Stainless Steel

Vintage Chinese Wicker Horned Animal From the Shanghai Collection
Vintage Chinese Wicker Horned Animal From the Shanghai Collection

Vintage Chinese Wicker Horned Animal From the Shanghai Collection

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Standout vintage Chinese horned animal with a removable lid ambitiously handcrafted in woven reed or wicker with carved wood highlights. From the famed Shanghai Collection.

Category

20th Century Folk Art Howard Finster Art

Materials

Organic Material, Wood

Feminist Contemporary Fabric Mixed Media Sculptural Tapestry - Fascist Five 937
Feminist Contemporary Fabric Mixed Media Sculptural Tapestry - Fascist Five 937

Feminist Contemporary Fabric Mixed Media Sculptural Tapestry - Fascist Five 937

Located in New York, NY

Linda Stein, Fascist Five 937 - Feminist Contemporary Fabric Mixed Media Sculptural Tapestry Fascist Five 937 is from Linda Stein's Armored for Today's Events series, which advocat...

Category

2010s Feminist Howard Finster Art

Materials

Metal

"Cow and Ballerina, " Painted Wood Sculpture signed by Schomer Lichtner
"Cow and Ballerina, " Painted Wood Sculpture signed by Schomer Lichtner

"Cow and Ballerina, " Painted Wood Sculpture signed by Schomer Lichtner

By Schomer Lichtner

Located in Milwaukee, WI

"Cow and Ballerina" is an original painted wood sculpture by Schomer Lichtner. It features a high-kicking ballerina standing on the back of a cow. The artist signed the piece. 36" x 61" x 26" art Milwaukee artist, Schomer Lichtner passed away on May 9, 2006 at the age of 101. He continued to amaze and create with his whimsical paintings of ballerinas and cows. He and his late wife Ruth Grotenrath, both well-known Wisconsin artists, began their prolific careers as muralists for WPA projects, primarily post offices. Schomer Lichtner was well known for his whimsical cows and ballerinas, such as his "Ballerina Dancing on Cow" sculpture below. The late James Auer, art critic for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel referred to Lichtner as the artist laureate of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the official artist of the Milwaukee Ballet. Lichtner also painted murals for industry and private clients. Schomer was a printmaker and produced block prints, lithographs, and serigraph prints. His casein (paint made from dairy products) and acrylic paintings are of the rural Wisconsin landscape and farm animals. He became interested in cows when he and Ruth spent summers near Holy Hill in Washington County. According to David Gordon, director of the Milwaukee Art Museum, Schomer Lichtner had a tremendous joie de vivre, " joy of life," and expressed it in his art. Schomer Lichtner was nationally known for his whimsical paintings and sculptures of black- and white-patterned Holstein cows...

Category

1990s Neo-Expressionist Howard Finster Art

Materials

Wood, Paint

Standing Female Nude After Archipenko, Cubist Wood Sculpture, 1910s
Standing Female Nude After Archipenko, Cubist Wood Sculpture, 1910s

Standing Female Nude After Archipenko, Cubist Wood Sculpture, 1910s

By Walt Kuhn

Located in Fairlawn, OH

Standing Female Nude After Alexander Archipenko Negress (La Negresse) Wood carving, c. 1913 Unsigned Provenance: the Artist's Estate Brenda Kuhn (his daughter) Kennedy Ga...

Category

1910s Cubist Howard Finster Art

Materials

Wood

High Density by Lesley Hilling - Contemporary salvaged wood Sculpture
High Density by Lesley Hilling - Contemporary salvaged wood Sculpture

High Density by Lesley Hilling - Contemporary salvaged wood Sculpture

By Lesley Hilling

Located in DE

About the Artist: Lesley Hilling is a self-taught English artist known for her intricate constructions made entirely from salvaged wood and found objects. Her work reflects a deep c...

Category

2010s Contemporary Howard Finster Art

Materials

Wood, Found Objects

Wall sculpture, hand-carved lion, eucalyptus and chainsaw, natural wood
Wall sculpture, hand-carved lion, eucalyptus and chainsaw, natural wood

Wall sculpture, hand-carved lion, eucalyptus and chainsaw, natural wood

By Alvaro de la Vega

Located in Carballo, ES

Hand-carved eucalyptus wood sculpture by the artist Álvaro de la Vega (1954, Lugo, Spain) in 20006. It is part of a series of sculptures of bodies and animals made with chisel and ha...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Howard Finster Art

Materials

Stainless Steel

Feminist Contemporary Sculptural Tapestry - Femininities: Body Language 897
Feminist Contemporary Sculptural Tapestry - Femininities: Body Language 897

Feminist Contemporary Sculptural Tapestry - Femininities: Body Language 897

Located in New York, NY

Linda Stein, Femininities: Body Language 897 - Feminist Contemporary Sculptural Tapestry Femininities: Body Language 897 is from Linda Stein's Sexism series, which advocates an exp...

Category

2010s Feminist Howard Finster Art

Materials

Metal

Linda Stein, Knight of New Beginnings 1294 - Contemporary Mixed Media Sculpture
Linda Stein, Knight of New Beginnings 1294 - Contemporary Mixed Media Sculpture

Linda Stein, Knight of New Beginnings 1294 - Contemporary Mixed Media Sculpture

By Linda Stein

Located in New York, NY

Linda Stein started her Knights of Protection series in 2002 after being forced to evacuate her New York downtown studio for a year post-9/11. Stein's Knights are shield-like forms ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Howard Finster Art

Materials

Stone, Metal

Previously Available Items
More Than A Piece Of Cloth
More Than A Piece Of Cloth

More Than A Piece Of Cloth

By Howard Finster

Located in Miami, FL

TECHNICAL INFORMATION More Than A Piece Of Cloth 1990 Screeenprint 26 x 36 in. Edition of 100 Pencil signed, numbered, and titled

Category

1990s Pop Art Howard Finster Art

Materials

Screen

Angel's Paradise
Angel's Paradise

Howard FinsterAngel's Paradise, 1985

Sold

H 12.25 in W 14.5 in

Angel's Paradise

By Howard Finster

Located in Miami, FL

This is one of Finster early and more desirable works. Work is Signed lower right, Howard Finster

Category

1980s Outsider Art Howard Finster Art

Materials

Oil

Folk Art Angel
Folk Art Angel

Howard FinsterFolk Art Angel, 1991

Sold

H 15 in W 9 in D 4 in

Folk Art Angel

By Howard Finster

Located in Buffalo, NY

You are viewing a fantastic one of a kind hand carved hand painted wooden sculpture by listed American Folk Artist Howard Finster! For forty years, Howard Finster was a minister. A...

Category

1990s Howard Finster Art

Materials

Wood, Acrylic

Elephant
Elephant

Howard FinsterElephant, 1991

Sold

H 15 in W 9 in D 4 in

Elephant

By Howard Finster

Located in Buffalo, NY

You are viewing a fantastic one of a kind hand carved hand painted wooden sculpture by listed American Folk Artist Howard Finster! For forty years, Howard Finster was a minister. ...

Category

1990s Howard Finster Art

Materials

Acrylic, Wood

Howard Finster art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Howard Finster art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, orange and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Howard Finster in pen, permanent marker, paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Pop Art style. Not every interior allows for large Howard Finster art, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Thornton Dial, Jaime Ellsworth, and Andrea Doss. Howard Finster art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,500 and tops out at $7,500, while the average work can sell for $7,000.