Nic Foster

Nic Foster paints from his studio in Nelson.  He is best known for his atmospheric landscapes that are inspired by the mountains, forests and ocean in New Zealand's South Island.  Foster aims to capture the essence of a place so his paintings have an abstract quality rather than being representative.  He is drawn to places such as the West Coast and the Marlborough Sounds, for their beauty and their mana. 

Foster studied Visual Arts at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in Nelson in the mid 2000's.  His recent exhibition 'Aroha: Whenua' combined moody scenes with Te Reo as a call to action about caring for our environment in the face of climate change.  As a painter of light, Foster uses the intensity of colour and contrast to dissolve the shapes of our land which in turn suggests a disappearing of what we hold most precious.