Elvis Presley was a favorite subject of folk artist Howard Finster (1916-2001) — and prints of the work (“Baby Elvis,” 1988) shown at right are available (but not cheap) at Skot Foreman Fine Art.
Born on January 8, 1935, today marks the 78th anniversary of Elvis’s entry into the earthly sphere. If you’ve never listened to the King’s version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” take a few moments today to honor a great artist on his birthday — and listen to him sing the song here.
Cheers!
Earlier today, I posted folk artist Howard Finster‘s painting of Marilyn Monroe draped in a flag. Above is another Finster portrait of Marilyn. The notations shed light on Finster’s symbols, such as the women flying through the air (“Woman power from earth into space”). A limited edition print of this charming portrait is currently for sale on ebay ($795) — see this link.
Finster, a Baptist minister who lived in Georgia, also created album covers for Talking Heads and R.E.M. He passed on to the great easel in the sky in 2001 at age 84 — after creating over 46,000 pieces of art during his colorful lifetime.
Folk art legend Howard Finster envisioned American icons — the flag, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and other national treasures — in a new ways. Who else would picture George Washington with black hair, as he is portrayed in the upper-left portion of this flag? As a writer, I gain as much inspiration from artwork and photographs as I do from great literature, and I often turn to the folk art of Howard Finster to set my imagination spinning.
A hand-signed screen print of this 1991 painting is available from New York’s Skot Foreman Gallery. Learn more here.
In the above wooden cutout painting (Marilyn, 1999) by folk art genius Howard Finster (RIP) — for sale on ebay for $7,999; find it here — Marilyn Monroe stands 6’2″ tall, draped in an American flag adorned with high rise buildings and space ships. You continue to inspire us, Howard and Marilyn!
Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.” MARK TWAIN
Silver Birch Press 