November 1, 2001

All Saint's Day

I first met Reverend Howard Finster in his Paradise Garden thirteen years ago. I then spoke with him briefly in New York at one of the Outsider Art Fairs, but providentially, our American Visionary Art Museum chose to go down to Georgia just this past August because we wished to feature Howard's works in a peace pavilion component of our current mega exhibition, "The Art of War and Peace: Toward an End to Hatred".

While visiting the Summerville-based lenders, Larry and Jane Schlacter, Larry arranged for us to visit Reverend Finster at his home (the "us" being our Museum's deputy director, Mark Ward, our head of maintenance, Purnell Jones, and me). Miraculously, we visited with Howard for several exquisitely delightful hours. He was in top form, so gracious with each of us, and far more able to listen and respond than he was thirteen

years ago when he just preached at his visitors - not permitting any real interaction. This time, we left Howard feeling we had been given a very great gift. It was hard for us to believe that day, only less than three months before he died, that Reverend Howard had been struggling with illness for some time - he absolutely glowed, even considered

coming up to Baltimore for our October 5th exhibition opening. Howard loved to watch news, even before September 11. He spoke with great insight about the strangeness of these times and their relevance to prophesy and change. He actually looked more beautiful than I ever recall seeing him, more peaceful and more overtly caring about each of us, too.

I am not ashamed to say that when I read his American Flag catalogue text some years ago, I sat up all night moved to tears. I think Reverend Finster was the real thing. He was straight out of the tradition of William Blake or Emmanueal Swedenborg or Johnny Appleseed. He was much more than a good old boy folk artist, or clever marketer. I think

Reverend Finster was truly and thoroughly GREAT. His memory will be for blessing and we are so proud to be currently exhibiting 50 of his works. I am also very fond of his daughter Beverly, who I really think will take a lead to help maintain her father's legacy. Finster was always a "man of God" and I hope he'll do his best to help us all through what lies ahead.

Some of my favorite Finsterisms are: "Faith and worry can't live in the same heart, one has to go." "How can you run the devil off when you like everything he does?"

Or the following ones painted on telephone receiver handles: "Hold on to your faith." "Talk kindly to others, you need friends not enemies." "Make God your first call."

Our hearts go out to his family who so generously shared this husband and father and grandfather with all of us. America has lost a jewel.

Rebecca Hoffberger is the Founder and Director of The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. AVAM is the first nationally recognized museum dedicated to Visionary Art.