Howard Finster-The Silkscreen Process & The Empty Road

Examine these three prints and you can understand a bit about silkscreen printing.

The technique employs the use of clear acetate and photosensitive emulsion to form stencils.  Howard has made his mark with an opaque ink on the clear acetate.  The clear acetate is then applied to the back of a silkscreen frame which has been stretched with a polyester fabric.  The fabric is coated with a photo sensitive emulsion.   The clear acetate with the markings is sandwiched between the back of the screen which is covered in the photo sensitive emulsion and a light table.  This bundle (silkscreen+acetate) is  exposed to light on a specially designed light table for a period of time and the negative of the marks is hardened and sticks in the holes of the fabric on the screen.  The areas that are marked are not exposed to the light and those shapes wash out of the screen and open areas are left.  These open areas form the stencil.  Ink is applied to the top of the silkscreen and the ink is force through the holes in the polyester (silk).  Pressure is applied through a rubber blade (the squeegee).  The ink is applied to white paper to form the design.  The paper dries and the print is finished.  New stencils are made for each color of the design.  Negatives can be formed from the existing acetates photomechanically.  Here you see the products of two stencils to form three variations of a design.  Stencils can be reused with new new colors.

The Empty Road

one color stencil--black

paper size 41"H x 30"W

#41/50 

The Empty Road

1 color stencil--Red

The red is the negative of the black

paper size 41"H x 30"W

#44/50  sold

The Empty Road one color stencil

same as the red stencil above
printed alone without the black

#47/50 

Elvis--A Martyr for Howard

                                                                      Elvis at 3 1/2
                                                    Silkscreen Print by Howard Finster
                                                              Paper 36.5"H x 24.5"W

                                                             Available for sale #55/90
                                                                           

Finster makes Sacred and Naive Art

                                                                LobuloCity
                                             Silkscreen print by Howard Finster
                                                 paper size 23"H x 34"W

                                                available for sale artist proof
                                                                

Howard Finster and the Painted Sermon

                                                     City Mascralo
                                    Silkscreen Print by Howard Finster
                                         Paper size  34.5"H x 37.5"W

                                Available for sale #74/90, #78/90, #31/90
                                                         

My Trant--Howard Finster the Visionary Artist

                                                                         My Trant
                                                                                   
                                                     Silkscreen Print by Howard Finster
                                                               Paper size 30"H x 38"W

                                                          available for sale #59/90, #60/90
                                                                        

The Animal World--Howard's Peaceable Kingdom

Animal World a Silkscreen Print by Howard Finster

Paper size:  22"H x 17"W  available for sale #38/90  

Available for sale in complete set of 5 #36/90 unframed 
set of 5  #43/90 framed 

Howard Finster and his theories--the Center of the Earth

Center of the Earth Silkscreen Print by Howard Finster

paper size: 22"H x 17"W

available for sale  #39/90, #42/90 unframed $300.00

available for sale in complete set of 5 #43/90 framed  $2400.00
complete set of 5 #36/90 unframed  $1800.00

Mona Lisa--A Classic Icon

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Mona Lisa
silkscreen print by Howard Finster

paper size:  22"H x 17"W

available for sale #45/90, #44/90, #41/90 unframed

available for sale in complete set of 5 #43/90 framed
complete set of 5 #36/90 unframed

A Hero--Henry Ford

Henry Ford

Silkscreen by Howard Finster

Paper size 22"H x 17"W

available for sale #44/90, #39/90, #42/90 unframed 

available for sale in complete set of 5 #43/90 framed
complete set of #36/90 unframed 

Howard Finster Silkscreen Prints

Howard Finster was a well known Folk and Outsider Artist from North Georgia.  He began his visions at the age of three.  He is famous for his album covers,  portraits of celebrities, representations of pop icons and his silkscreen prints.  Paradise Garden, which is located at his home and shop in Summerville Georgia, is a popular tourist attraction.  He was dedicated to putting his message out there. 
His last prayer for Mankind:
"Call upon the name of Jesus, even in your last breath, pray the Lord's Prayer, pray without ceasing, love one another, forgive your brother, win his love, Jesus is coming in great power and glory, be ready to go."
We have many good examples of the Finster Silkscreen prints in our collection.  All the prints that we have are also included in the Collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
We have 2 sets of the 5 prints: Howard in 1950, Henry Ford, Mona Lisa, Center of the Earth and Animal World #36/90, and #43/90.

We have several broken sets which include: 
3 of Henry Ford;  #44/90, #39/90, #42/90  
3 of Mona Lisa; #45/90, #44/90, #41/90  
2 of Center of the Earth; #42/90, #39/90 
1 of Animal World;  #38/90  

Prints in the broken sets may be purchased individually.

Howard in 1950

paper size: 17"H x 22"W

available only in the set of 5 #43/90 framed 
set of 5 #36/90 unframed