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"Heaven is not a place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being happy. You will begin to touch heaven in the moment you perceive your own magnificence. The trick is to know that your true nature lives, as perfect as an unwritten number, everywhere at once across space and time!"
--Rio Cruz
This is a little page for me to write about stuff and to post stuff you write to me. For example here is an email I got recently that I will share with you:
Dear Jerry-- I just want to tell you how stunning I think your work is and what a fantastically great artist you are. Better than Picasso. Even better than Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Gaugin and Walt Disney combined! Not only that, you are a remarkably wonderful human being in every way and I just want to say it has been a pleasure knowing you.
Love,
Mom
So anyway, check here from time to time to see if there is some new commentary, announcement or other info you cannot live without. If you would like to send me your own comments about my work, this website, the desperate-as-usual state of the world, whatever...click here and send away at the speed of light. I'll look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, for cheap thrills and droll entertainment, check out my interview in Contemporary Artist Magazine...
*** ANNOUNCING-- I have just finished painting "The Annunciation" -- a painting of the divine human comedy...an amalgam of cultural perceptions juxtaposed thru time and place, which you can see by going to the "Gallery" and clicking on "What's New."
Also, the story behind the previous portrait of the FABULOUS ANITA, can be read here: ANITA And here: ANITA AGAIN. Check it out and lemmeno whatcha think!!
***Dear Jerry!
We are SO glad you have finally decided to sell your original paintings!!! We have been dreaming about owning "The Boardwalk" for many years and now it actually hangs over our mantel. What a treat it is to walk into our living room and see it there. Thank you so much for your talent and humor and for making it so easy for us to purchase this incredible work!
All the best,
Pam and Justin, Santa Barbara CA
***Hi Jerry,
I am in awe of our “Are You Wild Enough” painting. It is so cool looking in person. I am guessing this is one piece that probably took you 6 weeks or longer to finish because it has so much detail and colors. We appreciate all the skill and creativity it took to create such a masterpiece. We are ecstatic that we bought this wonderful piece from you! It is our favorite of all your paintings. Looking at "Are You Wild Enough" brings back many fond memories. We remember the greenish oxidized building, the lion artwork (Marine World) on the wall and the red and blue gas station. Your art reminds us of the bustling neighborhood and street personalities we knew back then. You see, your piece highlights where Mabel and I spent most of our free time when we were dating before we got married. Mabel lived with her parents in Chinatown and we often walked up and down the colorful streets of Little Italy and the Chinatown that you portrayed. We walked up the stairs to Coit Tower and spent many a beautiful night looking at the city lights and the cars whose headlights wound down the crooked street of Lombard. We have seen several artists renditions of this San Francisco area but none come close to the vibrant color and personality that you put into your creations. I have always been attracted to paintings/art with bright colors and whimsical themes. They make me happy some how. I really like your acrylic and pen and ink technique.
Many thanks to you and may the good karma god always be with you.
Myron and Mabel, Folsom CA
***Hello Jerry...
The prints arrived last Thursday but I decided to wait and open the package when Lilli would be home...so we opened it yesterday morning during breakfast...JUST GREAT!!!! You made our day!!! All our good times in Santa Cruz came back looking at those fantastic prints. They are just WONDERFUL...all three of them. The "Cooper House" in color is just incredible as well as "Capitola" (Lilli used to work in Aptos), and the "Bookshop Santa Cruz"...uuuffff!!! We will have them all framed...and we know where to put them too...in the family room where we spend almost all our time...they will look just perfect!!!
Jonathan loves them too. He said they are lively and joyful!
THANK YOU...THANK YOU SO MUCH...TANTISSIME GRAZIE!!! And Lilli and I loved your dedication!
You have a great day!
Joe and Lilli, London England
*** Hello Jerry--
I wanted to tell you the reason I found you again. It is my 45th birthday today and I was going through a drawer of memories. I found a card from you. "Jerry Foster Seen here Disguied as a tree." It was like finding a old friend. You would come to the Sunrise Mall in Citrus Hieghts CA once or twice a year. You where always so nice and fun to talk to. I was very sad when you stopped coming to the art show there. It made my day to Google you and find you again after all this time. Hope to find you at some art fair again soon.
Thanks for the fond Memories!
Take Care of You!
Tammy, Sacramento CA
***Hi Jerry,
I am so happy to find you! I have one of your drawings of the Zoom Zoom restaurant where I worked many moons ago. I have carried it around with me for at least 33 years. It is a little worn, but I have always loved it dearly. I looked in your gallery and love your work. Just wanted to email you.
Thank you,
Karen, Chapel Hill NC
***Hi Jerry -
ABC's The View saw your work "Wildflower Kitchen" and would like to use it in the background for one of our segments. Obviously, we want to get your permission before doing so... could you please give us a call to iron out the details?
Katie, ABC - The View
***Jerry,
Your work is beautiful. I understand you through your work and am so gratified that you are content.
I have sold oil portraits, a mystical experience, and will probably return to it in late years, soon. I love your colors, light, balance, topics, all of it. Thank you for a few minutes of spiritual contact.
Sonia, San Diego CA
*** hi jerry...
you always said not to leave the power of these bytes and termite like tappety taps in the hands of the darkside, so with my trusty 2B snapped and stored i'm ready to take on your challenge, with a 2nd hand keyboard all of my own. just one more beatnik fighting for utopia. do you remember me jerry? "english dude" in a strange beaten up volkswagen, be about 10 year now, a capitola emigre who snapped his ankle and had to give up that life of watching the honeys. your prints still live a timeless and positive life atop my mantles, the fires below often run cold of there carbon load, but your prints still exude a peace and light that must be you, though to tell you true, it does get a little too cold to live by their warmth alone, but only just ;o) so here's wishing you the best of the sun's light and a smile as wide as a sombrero....
all the best,
leigh...and a woof from the dog, too somewhere on a turquoise sunset
***Hello, Jerry,
I am curating an exhibit on the history of Franklin St. for the Chapel Hill Museum. We have some of the prints you did of Franklin St. to hang in the exhibit. Question: What is the date of the prints? Late 1970s early 1980s? I would like to put a more precise date on the exhibit label!
Thanks!
Anne, Curator Chapel Hill, NC
*** Dear Jerry,
WOW, the Biker Chic painting arrived, and it is AMAZING!! THANK YOU!! It is really beautiful! I am going to frame it and give it pride of place in my home!!
Thank you for immortalizing my spirit in pen and ink. And thank you, Jerry, for being the beautiful soul that you are!
Lots of love,
Anita, Hong Kong
*** Hi Jerry Foster-- I admire what you are doing, your pictures are fantastic! My name is Susanna and I'm from Germany but have been living for 6 years in Barcelona. I would like to know if you give private lessons or some kind of seminars as I would be interested in taking part in them. I've been working like that with differrent artists for eight years. Of course there is still alot to learn. So I have been researching on the internet intresting artists and you came up. I loved it!! So I figured why not write him and get information? My plan is finding an artist and coming to Santa Cruz for a couple of months, so thank you very much for your attention and again congrats for what you do and thank you for reading this.
Susie, Barcelona Spain
*** Hi Jerry,
The prints have arrived. I can't explain what each picture brings to mind and the size of the smile in my heart when I look at them. Thank you so much for bringing "the best memories" of my childhood alive every day :^)
Pamela, San Ramon CA
*** Dear Jerry-- I have two paintings from your "brown and blue period". I think they are named "Fool on the Hill" and "Living on the Fault Line". Also, I absolutely love your current paintings. I was a little kid when my parents bought some of your art and I have always loved them. I used to always say you were my favorite artist. I was really excited to find your website. I felt like I had found a long lost friend. I thought I would never see more of your art. I wish you would publish a book of all your work. My kids do, too. As I was enjoying your gallery my four-year-old said your painting"Are You Wild Enough" was, "awesome". I must agree. I used to have a print of "Doggie Diner" and "The Castro", but they were damaged years ago. Someday, when I have the money, I will certainly have to get more prints. Look forward to hearing from you.
Jen, Saratoga Springs UT
*** Jerry!! I just love every piece of work that you do. It's amazing!!! My husband and I first encountered you in Walnut Creek a couple of years ago at one of the many festivals they have in the downtown area. We bought a print of that wonderful painting of Port Costa. We used to go down there a lot, right at the water. So the painting is quite close to our hearts. We always love to hear from you and what you're up to next.
Keep in touch!
Ina, Concord CA
*** Hi Jerry-- I'm showin' off your website to another friend. I just love how it evolves to show work in process and you looking quite handsome I must say. Your work just blossoms... And I love "Laurie's Kitchen"!!! Fantastic!!
Kris, Cupertino CA
*** Dear Jerry-- Many thanks!! I've wanted one of your works of art since I first saw them many years ago. Not sure why it took me so long to act, but I'm glad I finally did!!
The Bodega Bay Parade of Boats print is on the wall, above the picture of the town of Bodega from last year. THANK YOU, JERRY, for doing your wonderful and colorful interpretation of our Bodega Bay tradition and for the special inscription on the back. I will treasure it always!
Jo Ann, Bodega Bay CA
*** Dear Jerry-- Chris and I are excited to get the two pictures we purchased framed and thank you for the tidbit about getting UV protection, that is always a great idea. We are moving into our new home December 4th and were deciding where the pictures were going for the entire car trip home. We both love them and find San Francisco to be a magical city. We cannot wait to move in and put the pictures up and enjoy them. They are truely wonderful. Keep us informed as to when you will be in the area again at another show. My father would also love your work.
Hope all is well!
Paige, New York NY
*** Hi Jerry-- I actually have one of your "children" hanging on my wall. I think we bought it in 1983, could have been 84. It brings me joy.
Sherri and David, San Mateo CA
*** Dear Jerry-- I am a big fan of you and your work! I saw you many years ago when you were doing a show at Disney World in Orlando. I fell totally in love with your paintings and have been trying to find you ever since. Lo and behold I just typed your name into Google and up came your website first on the list. I see you have been very, very busy. Fabulous! You are even better now than then, and you were wonderful then. It will take me awhile to view all your new work, but as soon as I finish I will be back in touch for some orders. Thank you so much for the treat of your painting and for all the joy it has given to me.
Janette, Santa Fe NM
*** Jerry-- Where can I see your latest, and I would love to talk to you about buying one of your kids. I already have one (the seaside hill with you looking out a window) and 10 of your prints. OK so I am a little crazy, but my whole house is like that. Without you around I have resorted to buying art from John McKinley, who also has a little character flaw, which makes his art unique. Let me know if you are showing anywhere. Thanks.
Clarence, Somewhere in California
*** Dear Mr. Foster-- I just read the interview with you in Cruzy Magazine. Wow! You are some crazy dude! Your artwork is inspiring. Awesome, really! It reminds me of Richard Brautigan, the poet. So do you, for that matter. High praise in my book. Keep up the great work and thanks for the website. I'll return often just for the inspiration. I may even buy something!
James, Boston MA
*** Hi Jerry-- We are big fans of your work! We saw it for the first time several months ago at the MOMA in San Francisco. What a rare gift you have. So colorful, so creative, such fun! Please put us on your emailing list for future exhibits and shows. Thank you,
Ailese and Robert, Seattle WA
*** Dear Jerry-- Your paintings enchant me. Each and everyone of them. They enhance beauty and improve upon reality. They are a mixture of magic, sophistication and simplicity with a unique, personal style. Sex, love, religion, war, peace, hearth and home, friendship, places, mythology, paradise found and paradise unattainable, chance happily met, loved ones, art thru theater, music, film...all of life, vibrant and shameless can be seen in your paintings with unsurpassable strength and vitality. Your work combines different styles and traditions, with a wink and a nod to beloved artists from other eras ranging from the great masters of the renaissance to contemporary visions of the vanguard giving us a body of work that is unique and timeless.
Jerry, your paintings awaken my imagination and enrich my life.
Pepa, Sevilla Spain
*** Dear Jerry-- I love the informality of your paintings. They connect with the child-like quality of my being. I enjoy the informal (as well as the classical) when it also has a message. When I look at one of your paintings, no matter which one it is, I always discover something important is being said beyond the surface of the image. Yet the image in and of itself makes me happy just looking at it. The play of colors, forms, faces and bodies all interact to draw me into the painting and hold my attention while I absorb the content and the interplay between form, line and pallet.
I love your paintings, too, because I grew up with them. Ever since I can remember they have adorned the walls of our home. They are like beloved family members and have a special place in my memories. For this reason, if I see your work someday hanging with the paintings of other artists, yours will give me a special feeling of warmth, of that which is familiar and loved.
Mariote (Pepa's Son), Sevilla Spain
*** Here are links to some websites of artists whose work I really like. Check 'em out and I think you'll enjoy what they do: