North Shore Volunteer Spotlight: Jack Foster

Welcome! Jack is one of our newest volunteers, starting at our North Shore studio late in November. His compassionate and calm personality has been an incredible addition to our community. On Monday’s, Jack gives his all to the artists, always with great enthusiasm for their work and their individual style. In his short time here, he has blended into seamlessly into the studio community and we couldn’t be happier to have him.

 

When he is not at Arts of Life, Jack works as an illustrator for children’s books. He also write and illustrates for his own blog “Mr.BibleHead.” He uses his unique free hand drawing style in combination with digital illustration medias to bring his creations to life. He is also active with his large family; wife, five kids and fourteen grandkids.

 

“He’s cool!” -Rebecca Turner

 

Earlier this week, Jack sat down with North Shore studio artist Phil Gazzolo for a short interview:

Phil Gazzolo (PG): OK!

PG: Um, how did you hear about Arts of Life?

 

Jack Foster (JF): Uh, Actually, I went to a website called [volunteermatch.com] and I saw it on there. I had volunteered at a couple of other places but…

 

PG: OK…

 

JF: They didn’t seem like a good match but this seemed like a good fit for me.

 

PG: What do you like most about Arts of Life?

 

JF: Well mostly the people!

 

PG: That’s good, that’s good!

 

JF: I love helping and I love the people. A lot of smiles.

 

PG: Are you an artist and if so what kind of art do you do?

 

JF: Yes, as you know I do children’s book illustrations.

 

PG: Oh, that’s good!

 

JF: It’s kind of a cartoony style. But it’s for publishing, children’s books.

 

PG: What do you like most about being in the artist community?

 

JF: Oh you know, I just love the artistic atmosphere.

 

PG: That’s good!

 

JF: People creating and being apart of that!

 

PG: What do you do when you are not at Arts of Life?

JF: Um… actually my wife has a lot of medical issues. So I do a lot of stuff around the house, cooking and cleaning up. I’m kind of a caregiver at home.

 

PG: A caretaker? That’s good!

 

PG: Do you have any favorite artists?

 

JF: Oh favorite artists… Oh yes, I love Salvador Dali. He’s a surealist painter.

 

PG: That’s good! Why?

 

JF: As a teenager I was into a little, different art. It caught my attention at a young age, so I went to a museum in Florida to check out his art and fell in love with him.

 

PG: Do you enjoy this place? The people?

 

JF: I love this place, I feel like I belong here. I use to teach art to kids with disabilities, to my nephew, he has downs syndrome. I feel like I graduated to the big leagues at Arts of Life.

 

PG: I’m done.