FINSTER, Howard (American, 1916-2001) Early Paradise Garden Painting Pre-Numbers. Enamel on Masonite. 10 ¼ x 30 ¾”. Signed lower left. Unframed. This is early important painting of Finster’s from his Paradise Garden before he started numbering and dating his works. Howard Finster was an American artist and Baptist minister from Georgia. He claimed to be inspired by God to spread the gospel through the design of his swampy land into Paradise Garden, a folk art sculpture garden with over 46,000 pieces of art. Finster came to widespread notice in the 1980s with his album cover designs for R.E.M. and Talking Heads. His works are in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, High Museum of Art, and the Milwaukee Museum of Art among many others. Surface dirt. Some corner and edgewear with some paint loss. Seven drill holes around perimeter. Good condition.