David Earnest Finn

David Finn was a Black painter, sketch artist and sculptor from St. Louis with a brief active career in the 1940s. Finn attended Vashon High School in St. Louis, and as a senior began attending night classes at the People’s Art Center.

Recognized for his pencil and pen and ink drawings, Finn’s work was cartoon-like and reflected social and political themes of the time, such as The Seed of Evil, which depicted an ominous figure in a Nazi uniform set against a disturbing backdrop of shadowy gallows; or the more light-hearted Jitterbugs, a clever play-on-words showing the titular insects in action.

Finn participated in a regional high school art exhibition in 1943, receiving Honorable Mention, and was the recipient of several awards from organizations such as the People’s Art Center and the St. Louis Urban League. Finn’s brief career culminated in a solo exhibition of his work at the People’s Art Center in 1943, after which he joined the U.S. Army as a private.