IF YOU GOWhat: Finster Fest folk art and music festivalWhere: Dowdy Park, East Washington Street, Summerville, Ga.When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. SundayCost: FreeWebsite: finstersparadisegardens.org
CHATTOOGA COUNTY, Ga. – When Howard Finster had a vision in 1976 to paint sacred art, the retired Baptist minister said God asked him to create 5,000 works to spread the gospel.
He blew right past that goal.
Before Finster died in 2001, he had completed about 47,000 works of art that he dated and numbered with a system of his own devising.
“I think he was your true functional ADD [person with attention deficit disorder]. He wouldn’t sleep,” said Jordan Poole, executive director of the Paradise Garden Foundation.