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BYTHOMASSCANLIN(/author/thomasscanlin)

HeadlineNews!!!TheParadiseGardenProjecttorestoreandpreserveHowardFinster'sculmanatingachievementwasrecentlyawardeda$445,000grantforParadiseGarden'srestorationfromArtPlaceAmericaThoseofyouwhoattendedtheFolkArtSocietyofAmerica'sconferenceinRichmond,Va.,lastyearwereaskedbyme(morethanonce)tocontributetoamatchingfundinordertosecureagranttoenableChattoogaCounty,Ga.,topurchaseParadiseGarden,HowardFinster'sworldfamousfolkartenvironmentclosetoSummerville,Ga.WiththegenerouscontributionsoftheFolkArtSocietyanditsmembersalongwithotherdonors,andundertheguidanceofJasonWinters,solecommissionerofChattoogaCounty,Ga.,alongwithJamesThompsonandLeamonR.ScottfromtheAppalachianRegionalCommission(ARC),ChattoogaCountywasabletoreceivethismatchedgrantfromtheARCandpurchaseParadiseGarden.

OneoftherequirementsofthisgrantwasthatasitestudyandmanagementplanbecompletedforParadiseGarden.ChosenforthismonumentaltaskwasthewellqualifiedAtlantaarchitectfirmofLord,Aeck&Sargent,andJackPyburnwaschosentospearheadthiseffort.TheprojectteamwascomprisedofLord,Aeck&Sargent(HistoricPreservationPlanningandArchitecture),TheJaegerCompany(HistoricLandscapeArchitecture&Planning),NationalTrustforHistoricPreservation(HeritageTourismProgram),thelateTonyRajer,(afolkartconservator),andTomPatterson(Finsterbiographer).SpecialacknowledgementforassistancetothepreparationofthisplanwasgiventoTommyLittleton(pastownerofParadiseGarden),SusanCrawley(CuratorofFolkArt,HighMuseumofArt)andmyself(Finsterfriendandcollector).

Thesubmittedfinalplan,oneandahalfinchesthick,isanexcellentguideforrenovationandsustainingtheirreplaceableenvironmentthatshowcasedthelifeandworkofHowardFinster,oneofthemostsignificantAmericanartistsofthe20thcentury.Thenextstepwasfindingthemoneytocarryoutthismassiveundertakingandthentoorganizeandcoordinatethework.

AtacriticalmomentwhenthepurchaseofParadiseGardenwasbeingcompleted,intothepicturesteppedoneofthemostimportant"angels"toevervisitthegarden,JanetByington,aforcetobereckonedwithifevertherewasone!Thephrase"notpossible"toherislikewavingaredcapeinfrontofanangrybull.Pairingthatpassionwiththeskillofdiplomacyandthedeterminationtogetthejobdoneisararetalentindeed.ShehasmanyofthesametraitsthatFinsterpossessed.Sheisnotafraidofrecyclingmosteverything,workinghardandpayinggreatattentiontodetail.

OneofthefirstjobsafterthesitepurchasewastoformtheParadiseGardenFoundationBoardofDirectorsandtohireanexecutivedirector.ThecurrentboardmembersareSusanConnelly,GenaBrileyAgnew,GreyWinstead,WhitneyNaveJones,JanetFarrarByington(Chair),LarrySchlachter,JohnTurner,SylviaLeeKeziah,AttekaAbdouandFranMyers.TheexecutivedirectorisJordanPoole,whohasamaster'sdegreeinhistoricpreservationand

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[#81]Vol.23,No.3,Summer/Fall2012

(/catalog/fam81)$15.00ppdAddtocart

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animpressiveresumthatincludeshavingbeenmanagerofrestorationatGeorgeWashington'sMountVernoninVirginiaandmanageroffieldservicesfortheGeorgiaTrustforHistoricPreservationinAtlanta.

Thisgroupcertainlyhasitsworkcutoutforthem.ItwillnotbeeasytodragParadiseGardenbackoutoftheswampthathasbeendeterminedtoreclaimitsincethatmomentousdayin1961whenFinsterdecidedthiswastheplacetobuildhisgardenofparadisewhilehewasvisiting"earth'splanet."Tomakethissitestableandsecureforthevisitinggeneralpublicisaherculeanchallenge.And,theworkwillcertainlynotbecheap!

Thefoundationrecentlyreceivedthefirstgrantthattheypursued,andthatgrantamountwas$445,000!Yes,thatnumberiscorrect!Thegrantwas

awardedtoChattoogaCountyfortheParadiseGardenProjectfromArtPlaceAmerica.ArtPlaceisacollaborationof11majorfoundations,sixofthenation'slargestbanksandeightfederalagencies,includingtheNationalEndowmentfortheArts,whoseaimis"toacceleratecreativeplacemakingacrosstheU.S."

ThefoundationsincludeTheFordFoundation,TheJamesIrvineFoundation,TheAndrewW.MellonFoundationandTheRockefellerFoundation,justtonameafew.Outof2,200applicationsnationwide,ArtPlaceawarded47grants.ParadiseGardenwasoneofonlyeightgrantsgiventoruralprojects.Consideringthatthemaximumawardamountwas$500,000,thiswasalargeamountindeed.ItisalsoamusingthatsomeofthesemoniescamefromtheNationalEndowmentfortheArts,asthiswastheonlygrantfundingthat

Finsterwasabletosecurewhilehewasalive.Thatoriginalgrantwasgivenin1982andtheamountwas$5,000.PartofthisNEAmoneywasspenttopurchaseFinster'sWorld'sFolkArtChurch.ImaginewhatFinsterwouldhavedonewith$445,000!

WhileweallrecognizethatunfortunatelythisgrantwillnotbesufficienttofullyrenovateParadiseGardentoday,itcertainlywillgoalongwaytostabilizethesite.Aswaspointedoutinthestudy,wateristhebiggestproblematthemoment.SmalltractsofadjoiningpropertyhavebeenpurchasedfromtwoFinsterfamilymemberstocreatewaterretentionareasandtoprovidebusandautomobileparking,persiteplanrecommendations.Stabilizationofthebuildingsandcuratorialassessmentarealsomajorchallengesyettobefaced.AnadvisoryboardtoassisttheParadiseGardenFoundationBoardiscurrentlybeingformedtohelpwiththosechallengesandotherdecisionsinplanningforthefutureoftheGarden.

TherepresentativesofChattoogaCountyhopethatthisrevitalizationofParadiseGardenwillserveasthebeginningofculturaltourismasaneconomicstimulusforthisarea,recentlylistedasthepoorestcountyinGeorgia.ParadiseGardenisstill,visuallyandhistorically,arichplaceindeed.StillalivewiththespiritandessenceofHowardFinster,itiswellworthvisitingorrevisiting,forthatmatter.AvisitorcannothelpbutfeelFinster'spresencewhilewalkingalongtheinlaidwalkways,viewingthecomplexsculptural"mountains,"Finster'sfamousbicycletowerortheWorld'sFolkArtChurch.

TheseandthousandsofotherfantasticartworksspeaktothecreativegeniusandlovingforcethatwasHowardFinster.Heandhismessageswillliveonthroughhisartworksscatteredallovertheworld,butParadiseGardeniswhereitallstarted.

Ifyouwouldliketogetinvolvedpleasevisitwww.paradisegardenfoundation.org

(http://www.paradisegardenfoundation.org)callJordanPoole@6786418700orwriteTheParadiseGardenFoundation,200N.LewisSt.,Summerville,GA30747.TotracktheprogressofthissiteyoucanemailJordanPooleatjordanpoole@gmail.com(mailto:jordanpoole@gmail.com).

THOMASSCANLINisajewelrydesignerandownerofStudioJewelersinDahlonega,Ga.

mailto:jordanpoole@gmail.com