HOWARD FINSTER: VISIONARY GODFATHER OF AMERICAN OUTSIDER ART: Illustrated Talk by Norman Girardot

Reverend Howard Finster, a self-proclaimed "Man of Visions" and "Stranger from Another World," was one of America's most prolific self-taught artists, producing over 46,991 works before his death in 2001. He saw himself as a sacred artist, recording visionary prophecies and glimpses of a celestial world revealed to him by God-visions that felt entirely real and fueled a lifetime of creative output.

His preacher's showmanship fueled his growing celebrity, even as fame came to define his final years. Through it all, Finster stayed true to his inner voice-to make sacred art-leaving behind a legacy suspended between reverence for his tireless devotion and his singular place in American art history.

Esteemed author Norman Girardot, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Religion at Lehigh University offered an illustrated talk at Bethany Mission on Thursday, October 29, at 6:30pm, titled "Howard Finster: Visionary Godfather of American Outsider Art." 

Participants discovered the astounding world of Howard Finster who transformed his faith, American popular culture, and everyday objects into thousands of wildly imaginative works, some of which are on view in the Keen Collection. Finster's story changes the way one considers who can be an artist and what art can be.