Daily journal October 25, 2001, Howard Finster died on October 22, he preached via art.

The one time I had the privilege of meeting him to talk with him, he told me that he began painting art when people no longer listen to him preach. People loved his artwork world- wide. My sympathy to the Finster family. Howard Finster, considered the granddaddy of folk art and to him many artist owe very much. He inspired the industry so much. Finster was applauded by the greatest as a selftaught artist, he popularized Christian art form and contributed so much of himself naturally to his works of art beginning with Scriptures on plywood flying angels which he cut himself. People from around the world purchased his artwork especially from Europe. Many art dealers and galleries made money on his work, because it was cheap to buy from him but very expensive if purchased in Soho, New York. There will be a void in the industry although in his family he has trained many of them and they are following in his shoes. Finster was a Baptist preacher of the Protestant faith and reportedly retired at age 65 then began to paint Folk Art with writing in tiny letters many verses on the Angels, reportedly selling them at 12 to $15 per angel piece at first. News spread of his death so quickly over the industry and on the radio as reported from Myrtle Beach. Finster's work will live on in time and the Word of God will live forever, it has power. The Word of God is powerful and is alive as the food we eat raw all is alive with living enzymes to nourish our body. The same Scriptures can be read every day and still have power to bless us more and more. Finster painted like he preached I am sure and it's called in church circles hell fire and brimstone style, yet he told me in our one meeting that he did not get into Revelation Prophecy, he asked me to explain Revelation to him but I had hoped to learn Revelation from him knowing that my message and his was the same. Folk art in the last seven years has become the best selling art form in terms of pieces sold. Not all folk artist are genuine Christians and many make images like idols to worship. I have never understood folk art and I have never understood my own art other than to say that I paint what I see in my heart and mind without questioning it. Finster had a generous heart, many people have told me that he gave them a work of art, there is always pressure to commercialize, but Finster kept his prices low and fulfilled his mission by distributing the message. I was invited to the annual Finster Spring Fest at Paradise Park in Pennville Georgia in May of this year as mentioned in my journal that he was looking some frail but reportedly still had an eye for pretty women in a godly sense. I do not own a Finster work of art and I would have liked to have had one but now will be too expensive to purchase. Finster lived two total lives, as minister preaching in his Church and of his art sometimes called canvas preaching although he painted most on wood. The angels made him famous and with time he rose to the highest possible recognition in his life of art. He is nationally recognized by CNN and the High Museum, also the Smithsonian. The Finster Name is recognized world over and reporters commonly travel from Europe to see and write about his work and Paradise Garden we created mostly with his own hands. His work was very simple with a very deep meaning. Finster did about 20,000 works during his art life and many of them small to hang on cabinets or to fit in the average household with all of them bearing Scripture. Finster made popular writing on Paintings. He was a gentle man. He had a blessing for everyone, encouragement. His main Scripture would have been John 3-16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". I pray that Finster’s message would be heard around the world by all people that they may believe unto salvation.