Delta Painting1983Frame: 31 5/8 x 48 1/8 x 7/8 " (80.3 x 122.2 x 2.2 cm)Enamel on wood panel, in original pyrographed wood frameGift of Elizabeth Ross Johnson1985.35.330152357217Howard FinsterPaintings© Howard Finster / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Label on top: 'Philadelphia Art Alliance 25 MAY - 30 JUNE #9 Howard Finster Man of Visions / The Garden and other Creations / Delta Painting / #2831 1983 Enamel on panel / 32 x 48 Ricco-Johnson Gallery'in pencil center right: 'Howard Finster / God Bless You All'; 'ENAMEL ON WOOD / BY HOWARD FINSTER / MAN OF VISIONS / SUMMERVILLE GEORGIA 30747 / R#2 BOX 155 / PHONE (404) 857-2926 / 1983 MAY 27.' SummervilleSummervilleUnited StatesGeorgiaPaintingsSummervilleIn Delta Painting, Howard Finster uses images of vehicles and historic events, punctuated with brief commentary, to create a richly textured evangelical narrative. A centrally placed Delta airplane and a bus with an Atlanta destination refer to the artist’s many journeys to preach his messages. Zooming upward, the airplane is shepherded by a team of spritely angels. Satan is represented as a serpent, prominently placed between the bus and the plane, its body wrapped around the globe, “putting his squeese on the free world.” When Finster created Delta Painting, number “2000 and 831” of more than 46,200 works, the political climate was tense and the Cold War was still a reality. He was also concerned with social problems at home. Undoubtedly, it is Rosa Parks represented as the tiny African American woman at a front seat of the bus. The balloon from her mouth reads, “My seat on the front row. This is the way I like to go.”
Lee Kogan, "Delta Painting," in Stacy C. Hollander, American Anthem: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum (New York: Harry N. Abrams in association with American Folk Art Museum, 2001), 394-395. Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org Finster began work on his Paradise Garden in 1965 after retiring as pastor of the Chelsea Baptist Church in Menlo, Ga. His work turning 2 acres of swampland into a Paradise Garden was directed by the Lord according to the artist. Howard Finster began painting in 1976 and has been very prolific ever since. His early works stemmed from a deep religious conviction and were less polished than his later pieces. A certain superficiality has entered his work since his commercial success, but with no dissipation of religious intent. he continues to produce on a large scale and has written extensively about himself. Transcription of writing on face of painting is in file.Horizontal painting with five major vignettes around central blue and green globe; orange snake twining around globe and writings in each mapped area; against landscape of reen grass and blue sky with scattered writing and small figrues (including devil), white birds, and small black planets. Bust-length portrait each side of painting: LS, Queen Heneretta (sic) full face with pink skin, black hair, hazel eyes, jewelry, writing below; RS: woman in profile with blue eyes and brown hair; writing on white dress and scenes painted in black on pink skin of bosom, neck and face. Above, center, realistically painted Delta airplane taking off, with red dlames shooting behind small figures crawling over entire body of plane. Bottom, center, blue and silver bus: Greyline to "Atlanta" with passengers and writings on fenders and window. Several triangular black structures across landscape. Painted on board with two applied layers of molding: inner molding with decorations of half circles burned into wood and outer molding wiht flower and leaf motif burnedinto wood; nail construction, sides unfinished wood.19831983 1985 35 33 In Delta Painting, Howard Finster uses images of vehicles and historic events, punctuated with brief commentary, to create a richly textured evangelical narrative. A centrally placed Delta airplane and a bus with an Atlanta destination refer to the artist’s many journeys to preach his messages. Zooming upward, the airplane is shepherded by a team of spritely angels. Satan is represented as a serpent, prominently placed between the bus and the plane, its body wrapped around the globe, “putting his squeese on the free world.” When Finster created Delta Painting, number “2000 and 831” of more than 46,200 works, the political climate was tense and the Cold War was still a reality. He was also concerned with social problems at home. Undoubtedly, it is Rosa Parks represented as the tiny African American woman at a front seat of the bus. The balloon from her mouth reads, “My seat on the front row. This is the way I like to go.”
Lee Kogan, "Delta Painting," in Stacy C. Hollander, American Anthem: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum (New York: Harry N. Abrams in association with American Folk Art Museum, 2001), 394-395. Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org Finster began work on his Paradise Garden in 1965 after retiring as pastor of the Chelsea Baptist Church in Menlo, Ga. His work turning 2 acres of swampland into a Paradise Garden was directed by the Lord according to the artist. Howard Finster began painting in 1976 and has been very prolific ever since. His early works stemmed from a deep religious conviction and were less polished than his later pieces. A certain superficiality has entered his work since his commercial success, but with no dissipation of religious intent. he continues to produce on a large scale and has written extensively about himself. Transcription of writing on face of painting is in file.Horizontal painting with five major vignettes around central blue and green globe; orange snake twining around globe and writings in each mapped area; against landscape of reen grass and blue sky with scattered writing and small figrues (including devil), white birds, and small black planets. Bust-length portrait each side of painting: LS, Queen Heneretta (sic) full face with pink skin, black hair, hazel eyes, jewelry, writing below; RS: woman in profile with blue eyes and brown hair; writing on white dress and scenes painted in black on pink skin of bosom, neck and face. Above, center, realistically painted Delta airplane taking off, with red dlames shooting behind small figures crawling over entire body of plane. Bottom, center, blue and silver bus: Greyline to "Atlanta" with passengers and writings on fenders and window. Several triangular black structures across landscape. Painted on board with two applied layers of molding: inner molding with decorations of half circles burned into wood and outer molding wiht flower and leaf motif burnedinto wood; nail construction, sides unfinished wood.