John Foster’s abstract paintings each begin with an identical grid: 2.5” by .5” units in a neutral gray, acting as a visual scaffolding upon which each new illustration is built. The result is a broad body of work with a range of references to architecture, quilting, abstract painting, and more.

 

“My work invites sustained looking, grounded in balance, repetition, and a quiet authority of systems that hold, rather than overwhelm, the attention of the viewer. Together, this series proposes an alternative to spectacle—one grounded in balance, attentiveness, and the quiet power of sustained observation.”
-Artist Statement