2007-05-092007-05-091994Minar, Rena Virginia. "Case studies of folk art environments: Simon Rodia's "Watts Towers" and Reverend Howard Finster's "Paradise Garden" (California, Georgia)." (1994) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13869">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13869</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13869The study of folk art, or self-taught art, has been riddled with problems. Scholars have not agreed on terms or definitions, and research has been sporadic. Folk art environments, large decorated sites at homes or businesses, cause further problems because these sites define space. Simon Rodia built The Watts Towers in Los Angeles, and no one knows why he built the site or why he later abruptly abandoned it. The environment he built consists of three tall spires and several other smaller structures, all covered with colorful tile mosaic. Reverend Howard Finster created Paradise Garden just outside Pennville, Georgia as a means to communicate the teachings of God. The environment, a result of religious visions, contains hundreds of sculptures and describes an area of over seven acres. These sites represent two types of folk art environments: systematic and random.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.FolkloreThesisTHESIS ART 1994 MINAR