INTELLIGENT ACQUISITION
small, or when there are three generations together. And capturing that moment in a natural way, without dragging attention to it, is the artist’s skill. Choosing the right materials is another key. Foster always uses Winsor and Newton paint because “it just seems to fit”. His studio sports large bundles of brushes – some the length of a pencil, others as long as his outstretched arm. For the bolder strokes he uses round brushes with a point made from stiff Chinese hog-hair. For more delicate work it is smaller sablehair brushes. “Sable is much finer and softer so it’s better for detail,” he explains. He favours the traditional approach of staying with his easel, instead of running back and forth between the sitter and easel, as many younger artists do, meaning his paintings are smooth, even and unified. Like his historical forebears, he chooses beauty over raw energy.
But why do people choose Foster? It is often because his style is suited to the surroundings in which the painting will hang. “It’s what they want in their house,” he says. “Not everybody wants the high-key photographic work. If you’ve got Van Dycks on the wall, you don’t want a David Hockney next to it. One would be dark and soft, and the other bright and harsh.” And how does he capture the essence of his subjects? He thinks for a moment. “As Sargent said, you don’t need to try to bring out someone’s character. It comes out in the way they dress, the way they stand. You make them look the best they can, but their character will come out on its own.”
This spread: Left top: Portrait by Richard Foster Left middle: Once contacted by a potential subject, Foster will normally visit them in their home to set the composition Above: Family portrait ‘Rockingham’ by Foster
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