By David Leonardis

Chicago gallery owner and art entrepreneur David Leonardis discovered the work of nationally acclaimed Georgia folk artist Howard Finster in 1989. It was the beginning of an involvement with Finster’s art and eventually with Howard himself that has led to Leonardis becoming the country’s largest dealer of Finster’s work and the creation of the Howard Finster Vision House in Summerville in Northwest Georgia. For Vision House photos and an interview with Leonardis, see the MySpace and YouTube links at the bottom of the page.

Like a lot of people that graduated from high school in 1985, I was a Talking Heads fan. In my dorm room I had a Talking Heads Poster as well as posters from a few other bands. After college, I rolled up my Talking Heads poster and put it in a closet. Years later after I was working with and publishing Howard Finster’s prints, I pulled out the poster and had Howard sign it and then I had it framed in the wood-burned molding that he had personally designed.

I first saw the Rev. Howard Finster’s paintings in a Chicago art gallery in 1989. I was drawn to them. There was a whole wall of Howard Finster originals of different sizes and shapes. The one that spoke to me was a cutout of a Camel, “The Desert Taxi.” I couldn’t afford it, so I got a job at the gallery so I could get a discount. “Desert Taxi” was $500 even then. I got my 50% off and I owed $250. I could work for other art from the gallery but I had to pay cash money for the Finsters.

After about nine months of working there, I realized I would never get as many Howard Finster pieces as I wanted, so I quit the gallery and set out to find Howard Finster himself. Little did I know where that search would lead me 18 years later. Now I own the house where Howard actually had his vision from God to “Paint sacred art.” I’ve turned it into the Howard Finster Vision House. It’s been under construction for about three years. I’m currently working on painting and installing a granite mosaic driveway.

But maybe I’m getting a little bit ahead of myself.

By summer of 1990, I had found out where Howard Finster lived and his phone number. I called him and started buying as many Howard Finster pieces as I could. I was working as a waiter and would eat on the job so I could spend my whole paycheck on Howard’s art. Eventually, I had about 200 originals. I realized that without knowing it that I had become an art dealer.

I called Howard and told him I wanted to make Howard Finster T-shirts. We settled on an image and I sold a gross of T-Shirts to the High Museum in Atlanta and another gross to the Whitney Museum of American Art’s Museum Store in New York. I had another gross that I sold to retail stores and individuals in downtown Chicago.

While I was selling these T-shirts on the steps of the Art Institute of Chicago, I met Andy Kane. Andy is a fantastic artist in his own right whose work was included in several different books and museums even then. The friendship I built with Andy has lasted and I had a show of Andy’s encaustic paintings in my River North Gallery in Chicago this year.

You may be wondering what Andy Kane has to do with Howard Finster. Dealing with Howard and Andy at the same time gave me a good understanding of what it takes for an art dealer to interact with the artists and be able to put together a successful art gallery; and then to be able to sell the art works to the happy clients. Andy told me, “An art collector needs good taste, some courage and a little money.” Howard told me that if anyone’s soul ever got saved as a result of his artwork that I had sold, I would get an extra credit point in Heaven. I always tell people that Howard’s job is to save your soul and mine is to sell you valuable contemporary folk art. Howard helps me do my job and I know I’m still helping him do his.

I first went to see Howard and his Paradise Garden in 1990. In Chicago I rented a car and drove to Summerville. I showed up with a big pocket full of money and I bought as much art as I could afford.

His Grandson John Mitchell greeted me there and I met Howard’s other grandchildren Andy, Tommy and Allen Wilson, as well as Michael Finster. I got along great with all of them and I was made an honorary Wilson Brother a few years back. Paradise Garden was really cool. There were tons of art everywhere and cool sculptures and little buildings. I shot a video that I’ll be releasing on DVD soon.

I was there the day Howard Finster died. It was shortly after 911 and I wanted to see Howard and get his take on the turn of events. When I got there, Mrs. Finster brought me into his room. She said, “Howard, David Leonardo is here. Your old friend David Leonardo.” Of course it’s Leonardis but what could I say?

Well I don’t mean to be melodramatic, but Death was hovering over the Reverend Howard Finster. I walked over to him and touched him on his shoulder. He said, “Well. I’m not feeling too good, but you go get yourself some food out of the ice box.” Giving until the end. I said goodbye to my old friend and had some Coca Cola with Mrs. Finster in their kitchen. Mrs. Finster has had me over to breakfast there many times since then. She’s truly a nice and wonderful lady. Howard Finster died later that night. October 22, 2001.

I left Paradise Garden deeply moved and inspired. The combination of the events of 911 and the death of this kind, generous and gifted man had a profound affect on me. I felt it was the right time for me to move from Chicago to New York, which I did for two years.

I moved back to Chicago two years later and traded a photograph for a VW convertible. I drove it down to see Paradise Garden and discovered that the people that had been running the place after Howard died had left. His youngest daughter offered to rent me the Art Studio House and I said I would think about it.

I was being interviewed for the first season of what was to become the popular Donald Trump reality show, “The Apprentice.” I was not selected and decided to move part time to Paradise Garden. I had kept my Gallery in Chicago during the New York interlude and I would spend two weeks in Paradise Garden and two weeks in Chicago, usually staging an opening when I was there. Gotta sell that art! I hired someone to keep Paradise Garden open when I wasn’t there and things were coming along.

One day when I was riding my bicycle around Paradise Garden, I stopped in front of the original Finster House, which is up on the hill at the corner of Greeson and Knox streets. This was the original house that Howard had moved his family to from Trion in the late 50’s or early 60’s. It was a three-room store that Howard bought from a Mr. Lowrey who I’m told was a coal miner. The basement of the House is huge with seven or eight rooms and a passage to the front of the House. Howard installed a trap door in the front porch.

The House was being auctioned off on Tuesday on the front steps of the Chattooga County Court House. It was Sunday. With little time to spare, I got my mother on the phone and she loaned me enough money to bid on the house. She had to wire it. It had to be done by the following morning because you have to pay in cashiers check an hour after the auction.

I was the only bidder at $1,479.28. Imagine that. I had bought Howard’s paintings for more. Now I’m buying his house for $1,500.

The Finster home is being transformed into the Howard Finster Vision House.

The current status of the HFVH is that we have phase one open and available to the public. I travel from Chicago to Summerville once a month for a week or so and am often joined by other volunteers. On a recent trip, for example, a friend of the Vision House drove to Summerville from Memphis, Tennessee, with a truckload of granite tabletop remnants that we’re turning into a mosaic driveway. I try to get as many volunteers to do as much of the work as I can. Although you have to pay the contractors to do the carpentry. I’ve got about $60,000 in the project so far and it’s not done yet.

The HFVH has an entire set of custom kitchen cabinets that Howard designed and built. We will be installing the cabinets and finishing the kitchen in the next few months. We’re extending the porch and rebuilding the glass room that Howard built but which was torn down. Then on to the grounds. I’m planning a Wedding Gazebo and want to be hosting my first Wedding there no later than next year. After that, we will be painting murals on the HFVH in homage to Howard.

Phase 1 of the Museum section is up and running. It looks fantastic if I do say so myself. We have about 100 pieces of framed and original art works to look at including Howard’s actual jacket, pants and studio items.

Phase two will consist of a collection of about 65 Michael and Roy Finster pieces and a group of Tommy and Allen Wilson Pieces. Another 20 or so framed originals by Howard will be put up soon as well. We will be installing Phase 2 in time for our shoot with Southern Living TV on August 28th.

Anyone who is interested in coming to help is welcome. We need real physical labor. There is a lot of “jungle work,” landscaping, carpentry, painting and general schlepping to be done. Of course if you can’t show up and work, you can still contribute by sending a check made out to the Howard Finster Vision House for $120. I will put your name on the HFVH in perpetuity. A great cause and a meager amount that can make a big difference. Feel free to donate more. I had a patron donate for a second time to buy the paint for a recent trip.

For me it’s a source of great satisfaction that I can be a part of turning the home of my old friend and one of America’s most gifted folk artists into a museum that will be a lasting testament to his art and his vision. When other people donate, it really warms my heart because I know the people actually care about Howard and appreciate him. Howard did a lot for a lot of people and it should be the least we can all do to make this cool Museum last in perpetuity.

Other than that, tell all the people you know about the HFVH. Oh, and did I say to make the check out to the Howard Finster Vision House and write “Donation” on it?

Thanks for being interested in Howard and the Howard Finster Vision House. And let me know if I can help any of you with your art collections.

Editor’s Note: Here are some other link where you can learn more:

• See more of Howard Finster’s art on the David Leonardis Galllery website
• You can see for yourself some of the work Leonardis and his helpers are accomplishing at the Howard Finster Vision House on MySpace
• And see a interview with Leonardis on YouTube
• Tom Patterson has written a comprehensive book, Howard Finster, Stranger from Another World, about the man who became America’s favorite folk artist that is available on Amazon. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=233501102

Tags: Finster, folk art

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