"The Reverend Howard Finster had art showings across the world, including the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institute. He has taught many students in college workshops across the nation. He has been on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and featured in many magazines and newspapers including Time, Life, Southern Living, NY and Chicago Times. He was on the Johnny Carson Show, Good Morning America and has been interviewed by several TV broadcasts including Canada, England, and Japan. The Coca Cola Company is one of Howard Finster's greatest fans and Howard is one of their greatest fans. They commissioned him to paint an eight foot Olympic Coke Bottle to represent the United States art exhibit for the Olympics in 1996.Howard's art and messages have inspired people all over the world including children that visit him and learn about his folk art. He was honored with the Governor's Award and chosen to paint the Easter Egg for the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the White House. He is recognized with letters from leaders all over the country for his astounding works of folk art. Turner Publishing commissioned Howard to paint illustrations for the "Night Before Christmas" in 1996 and is available at the Finster Folk Art Gallery. This assignment brought this now 84 year old artist back in touch with his childhood. The illustrations are visions of a previous time filled with wonder from an eccentric world renown folk artist. he dedicated the illustrations to all the children of the world including the "Big Ones" and his dreams of restoring his Paradise Gardens. he painted a wooden box symbolizing the C.A.R.E. package for the programs 50th anniversary. It was presented to president Clinton on May 9th of 1996. He completed a painting to raise funds for the Habitat of Humanity and attended the annual convention in Atlanta where he signed many prints made from the painting. After the NY trip, Howard took Pneumonia and thereafter he had a lot of sickness. Howard's traveling was over except for the events at Paradise Gardens. He went from doing twenty to thirty pieces of art a week to three to five pieces until he left us to be with Jesus on October 23, 2001." Beverly Finster, daughter of Howard Finster 2009
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