Nic paints in his Mount Street studio above Nelson city. His work is primarily a response to living in and experiencing the surroundings of the Te Waipounamu, South Island landscape. Nic masterfully captures drama, light and atmosphere in his paintings. His sublime
light and dark atmospheric mountain and ocean sounds scenes have to date been his trademark for collectors.
Recently Nic has become less literal and more abstract in the way he depicts an area. With colour, textures and text becoming a focus. The misty depictions and sub-text are a visual representation of things disappearing before our eyes. The sub-text references his concern for the environment and climate change and the impacts on our whenua.
Nic's work is held in private collections in New Zealand and overseas.
About Nic
Currently on display
A selection of Nic's art is currently on display in the following galleries:
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Ashe - Christchurch
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Artform - Matakana
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Quiet Dog Gallery - Nelson
From the Studio to the Gallery
There’s something instantly grounding about Nic Foster’s paintings, the way he captures the essence of Aotearoa’s landscape with such rhythm and balance. His works aren’t just about what you see, but what you feel - the energy of the land, the shifting light, and the quiet poetry in its form.
Blending abstraction with familiarity, Nic brings a fresh and contemporary lens to the New Zealand landscape. His use of bold colour and shape turns the everyday into something extraordinary - a reminder of how art can reconnect us to place and memory.
Ashe Art Gallery - Monthly Edit (Newsletter)
Solo Exhibitions
Art Practices Revealed: Artist in Residence (2004) The Suter Art Gallery, Nelson Landline (2004) Gallery 33, Wanaka West (2004) Dobson Bashford, Christchurch Oneone (2004) Morrison St Gallery, Nelson Landscapes (2005) Morrison St Gallery, Nelson French Pass (2008) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Landforms (2009) Left Bank Gallery, Greymouth Locale (2009) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Small Works (2011) Victory Café, Nelson Barometric (2015) NMIT Gallery Aroha Whenua (2021) Quiet Dog Gallery
Exhibitions
Otago Art Society exhibitions (1998 & 1999) Dunedin Walk Work (2001) Fishbowl Gallery, Nelson 1⁄2 Degree (2001) Fishbowl Gallery, Nelson Emerge (2002) Suter Art Gallery, Nelson Group Show (2003) Morrison St Gallery, Nelson Selected Artist (2003) David Reid & Associates, Wanaka Xmas Show (2004) Gallery 33, Wanaka Rua (2005) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Group Show (2005) River East Gallery, Greytown Group Show (2005) Examiner Gallery, Nelson Nelson Rediscovered (2005) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Xmas Show (2006) Reflections Gallery, WOW, Nelson Selected Artist (2006) Fletcher Vautier Moore, Nelson Group Show (2006) Reflections Gallery, WOW, Nelson Foster, Blackmore, Leary (2006) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Fine (2006) Shed 11, Wellington Stockroom Show (2006) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Small works exhibition (2006) Rivereast Gallery, Greytown Blackmore, Foster, Leary (2007) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Nelson Arts Society (2007) The Suter Art Gallery McCahon and Beyond (2007) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Stockroom Show (2007) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Late Spring Salon (2007) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Small Works Exhibition (2007) Rivereast Gallery, Greytown Summer Salon (2008) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Texted (2008) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Terrain (2008) Catchment Gallery, Nelson Group Show (2009) Studioworkz, Christchurch Land & Creatures, Lloyd Harwood & Nic Foster (2011) Red Art Gallery, Nelson Art for Christmas, Blackmore, Bostock, Foster (2011) Church St Gallery, Nelson Art Expo Nelson (2012 – 2019) Trafalgar Centre/Saxton Stadium Leary, Foster, Blackmore (2013) Red Art Gallery, Nelson NZ Art Show (2013) Wellington Christchurch Art Show (2013) Christchurch Group Show (2017) Quiet Dog Gallery, Nelson Foster, Bradley (2018) Atkins Gallery, Nelson The Street Where We Live; Mount St Artists (2019) Quiet Dog Gallery, Nelson Various Ongoing Group Shows (2020 – to date) Quiet Dog Gallery, Nelson Various Ongoing Group Shows (2020 – to date) Artform Gallery, Matakana
Other
Coordinator of 'Reasons for Being' exhibition (2006-2007), The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū
Coordinator of Studio Artspace at Examiner Gallery (2005 - 2006), Nelson
Founder & Creative Director, Art Expo Nelson (2012 – 2019)
Taskforce member of He Tātai Whetū - Whakatū Nelson Arts and Creativity Strategy (2023-2024)
Public Sculpture & Art Committee at Nelson City Council (NCC) (2015-2024)
Trustee at The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū (2023 – present)
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) (2003) - Ilam School of Fine Art, Christchurch
Bachelor of Visual Arts (2002) - NMIT, Nelson
St Martins School of Fine Art (1996) - Summer School, London