Tuesday, July 14, 2009

ACCEPTANCE INTO MY FIRST GALLERY, HOWARD FINSTER FOLK ART, AND NEW PAINTING!!! (LONG POST!)

Good Morning!! WOW..the past two days have been a blur. This is my newest painting.
Let me start with Sunday at the Chattanooga Market. We arrived, and set up, and the day went pretty well. Nature Boy and I ate too much sugary goodies, and both of our heads were swimming...but the day went ok. Not one of the better days that we had there, but thanks to Nature Boy's robots--we had an ok day of sales.

Late in the day, this woman walked up to us, and was going nuts over our art...and asked if we had ever heard of Howard Finster..well, we HAD!! Years ago, when we were heavy into buying antiques and collectibles, we would go to a Flea Market on Tuesday mornings in Summerville, Georgia. We ran across someone that started talking to us about folk art, and outsider art, and they mentioned Howard Finster. We came home, and looked him up on the computer, and read everything about him. We made plans to visit his home, gallery and museum one day...well..time went on, and we never did get around to making that visit. But, this discovery did start us in our love of primitive folk art.

Fast forward to the Market on Sunday (about 5 years after first hearing of Mr. Finster), and this woman was asking us to put our art in the Howard Finster Paradise Gardens Gallery!! I took my art to her on Monday, not really knowing what to expect, and being a little more than nervous, and she choose 10 of my pieces, and 3 of Nature Boys!!! He's been doing art about what?? 4 months MAYBE, and he's in a gallery!!! I LOVE IT! So, here's the gallery. It's a wonderous place with many, many different things to see. Please go HERE, and read about Mr. Finster. He has an interesting story. He was a preacher, and he combined his love of God with art. He used his art to talk about the Lord, and he held his church services on the same grounds. The Paradise Gardens are under renovation, and are being restored right now. I hope you find the following pictures as interesting and wonderful as I did.

This is the outside of the garage, the first thing you see when you drive into the parking spots.

Then the gallery. This use to be the Finster's house where they lived.

There is art EVERYWHERE. It's amazing!!!
Here's Nature Boy!!! He followed my directions when I said "MAKE A GOOFY FACE!"..LOL..(he really doesn't look like Howdy Doody on steriods most of the time...LOL.

The Mission Statement of the gallery.

A painting on the outside wall. All pictures are outside, none are allowed inside the gallery, because it houses Mr. Finster's original works..(he did over 46,000 signed pieces in his life)....

An old car. This is behind the house.
The chapel that Finster built. They are currently restoring it.
The following pictures were taken while Nature Boy walked around the gardens. I was inside with Whitney, the gallery owner, and we were writing up an inventory sheet.











They have a mosaic garden back there..everything is done in mosaic..So COOL!!


It was such an honor (to me) to be asked to be part of this gallery. I am very excited. It's a wonderful, magical place. I felt like I was sending my children off into the world. Wish me luck!!
Live Artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

19 comments:

Unknown said...

WOW! what an honor for you, what a magical place to have your work on display - so PLEASED for you and Nature Boy, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS and THANKS for sharing xxxx

I went to an amazing Gallery in the artists home tonight, blogged about it on my blog, feel free to visit xxx

Jazz said...

Congratulations to you both!!!!

What a great looking place, I'd love to visit.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

oooh...congratulations Suzan! This is a BIG thing and I can understand you being over-the-moon excited (and Nature Boy too!).

Donna Gotlib said...

Congratulations!

Cotton Picker said...

That is exciting news, indeed. I love your latest painting.

Artsnark said...

Congrats! I read about this cool place in southern living magazine. So excited for you :D

Mary said...

Oh Suzan what a great honor for you and your husband!! The place looks wonderful - would love to visit someday and what a boost to see your stuff there as well!!

Seth said...

Amazing looking place. Major congratulations to you both. This is just fantastic news!!!

kathi said...

Congratulations to you and Nature Boy--what a huge deal! Thanks also for giving us all a new roadtrip destination!

Lynda said...

Yay! how exciting for you and nature boy :) Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful news about your art!!! What an honor...love what you two have been doing.
Mary

heather noye said...

Congratulations!!!

Rev. Howard was truly an amazing man! I've spent many many hours daydreaming and wandering around Paradise Garden. It's a one-of-a-kind place.

LindaGJ said...

Wow! What an awesome place and so many fabuous art pieces!!! Thst is so cool that you are in a Gallery! Especially this one!
Linda:)

Regina Moore said...

Congratulations! Loved this post!!

marthaberry said...

I kept thinking of Finster when I would look at your stuff.

What an exciting honor!!

I am so proud of you I could burst!

Martha

Kathy said...

Hi there Suzan~
Boy, you have grown in your art, leaps and bounds!!!! So happy for you.
This is a wonderful place, my goodness, I would have a hard time leaving. The pics are amazing and so many wonders to discover. My favorite is the delapatated (sp?) shed/little house. AWESOME!
Sending a big ol hug to you, and missing visiting you more!
~xx~

Tumble Fish Studio said...

I'm so sorry to have missed this post in my very chaotic inconsistent blog visiting over the last few months. I would love to have been the first to send you huge CONGRATULATIONS! It is no surprise - your work gets more amazing with every piece you do. I am doing the happy dance for you!
marsha

Cindy Ericsson said...

What an amazing opportunity! I hope it leads to even greater adventures for you.

Wendy said...

WOW congrats! I came across your blog while "surfing"! I am working on a Howard Finster style quilt for a school auction. I recently took my son's class to the High Museum...the kids LOVED Mr. Finster's work. Our school theme for the year is GO GREEN I feel like his works fit perfectly with our theme. Each child will create a square and I will sew them together! If you have any ideas...could you write me back? Thanks!