FREDERICKA FOSTER
ARTIST PROFILE
Artist, curator, photographer, and activist working in oil paint on canvas and photography with a focus on water. Founder of Think About Water, a collective of artists and activists who defend, celebrate, and depict water in their work.
EDUCATION
BA in Art, University of Washington, 1972
Factory of Visual Arts, 1972-1973
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2014
- Water Way, Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, Curated by Amy Lipton, Clarkson University, Beacon, NY
2013 / 2009 / 2006 / 2004 / 2002 Represented by Fischbach Gallery 2002-2017
- Water Way/Waterway, Solo presentations as listed years above, Fischbach Gallery, NY
1999
- From the Ground Up, “Quiet House” Invitational Installation, Duvall, WA
1996
- Deus/Virus: Transforming the Protease, Riverrun Gallery, Lambertville, NJ
- Transforming the HIV Protease, Curated by Kate Sommers, Norbert Considine Gallery, Princeton, NJ
1993
- Layerings, Stover Mill Gallery, Bucks County, PA
1992
- Exploration: Nude/Naked, TSS Gallery, New York, NY
1990
- Fredericka Foster Shapiro: Prints, Paintings, and Monotypes, Helen B. Smith Gallery, Green River Community College, Auburn, WA
1987
- A Search for Meaning, Wyatt Stapper Architects, Seattle, WA
1986
- Waiting Tables, Swingside Cafe, Seattle, WA
1985
- Le Hommes Nus, Equivalents Gallery, Seattle, WA
1983
- Americaines Seules et Ensembles, Maison des Jeunes et de le Culture, Nice & Cannes, France
- 1981 Portfolio, City Art Works, Seattle, WA
1978-1972
Several solo exhibitions including:
- Fredericka Foster, Pelican Bay Gallery, Seattle, WA
- Fredericka Foster, paintings with Richard Contreras, sculpture, The Artist Gallery, Seattle, WA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
- The Professional Artists Exhibition, The Century Association, New York, NY, Curator Celestina Cuadrado
2025
- The Professional Painters Exhibition, The Century Association, New York, NY, Curator Celestina Cuadrado
- Think About Water, Pelham Art Center, Pelham, NY Curator Lisa Reindorf
2024
- Think About Water, Exquisite River, Ely Center of Contemporary Art, New Haven, CT
- 100 Women of Spirit, Zurcher Gallery, New York, NY
- Hamptons Fine Art Fair, East End Arts Booth, Southampton, NY
2023
- Detour IV, East End Arts, Riverhead, NY, curators Glen Hansen and Adam Straus
- RIVERS, Garrison Institute, NY, Curator Fredericka Foster
2022
- I Am Water, ecoartspace billboard, New York, NY
- Spaces, Glen Hansen Studio, Riverhead, NY
- Women of Spirit, Zurcher Gallery, New York, NY
- The Color Yellow, Glen Hansen Studio, Riverside, NY
2021
- Think About Water, Collective exhibition online, Curator Douglas Fogelson
2020
- Ecoconsciousness, ecoartspace online/billboard, 20/20 Vision, CoCA, Seattle, WA
2019
- New Residential Art Install, curated by Danette Koke Fine Art, acquired for The Pierrepont, Brooklyn, NY
- The Value of Sanctuary, Cathedral St. John the Divine, New York, NY
2017
- “18” Fischbach Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011 / 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007 / 2006 / 2005 / 2004 / 2002
- Participated in group shows at Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY & Miami, FL
2012
- The Value of Water, Curator & participating artist, Cathedral St. John the Divine, New York, NY,
2007
- Written on the Wind, Rubin Museum of Art, New York, NY
- Places, Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, NY
2004-2002
- Traveling exhibition, les Fables de la Fontaine, The Meyerhoff Gallery, The Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD, (2003) The Jacob Lawrence Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2002) Temple University Rome, Italy, Centre pour L’art et la Culture, Aix-en-provence, France
- The Flag Project, (String #5), 2004, Rubin Museum of Art, New York, NY
2000
- Painting 2000, Bumberbiennial, curated by Matthew Kangas, Seattle, WA
- Mary Mary, Seattle Underground Film Festival, Seattle, WA
1999
- Fredericka Foster Shapiro & Gail Chase, SOHO 20, New York, NY
- The Wedding, The Limelight, New York, NY
- Art of the State, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
1996
- A Hope, a Wish, and a Cry, Museum of American Art of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1994
- Fredericka Foster Shapiro and Nieves, Fondation Sophia Antipolis, Sophia Antipolis, France
1991
- Seattle Photography 1931 - 1991, Bumberbiennale, Seattle, WA
1989
- Women in Washington: The First Century, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA
1988
- 33 Photographs, C-R Gallery, Seattle, WA
1984
- Japan International Artists Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
- Autoportraits, Arleri Centre Nicois, Nice, France
1983
- Les Hommes Nus: Fredericka Foster Shapiro, Franck Guillon, Robert Rous, Arleri Centre Nicois, Nice, France
1981
- Erotic Art, Gail Chase Gallery, Bellevue, WA
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2023
- RIVERS, Think About Water Collective, Curator Fredericka Foster, Garrison Institute, NY
2020
- Founder, Think About Water, An ecological art collective that focuses on global water issues, including climate change, rising sea levels, poor human stewardship, featuring artist members and cultural activists whose work explores the intersection of art and science. Monthly meetings held on Zoom.
2011-2012
- The Value of Water, Curator Fredericka Foster, Cathedral St. John the Divine, New York, NY, The exhibition included works by William Kentridge, Kiki Smith, Jenny Holzer, Bill Viola, Fredericka Foster, Teresita Fernandez, Mac McGill, Diane Burko, Rosaire Appel, Gregory Amenoff, & April Gornick, amongst others.
LECTURES, PANELS, & PRESENTATIONS
2026
- Food & Water Watch Award Winner, Against All Odds: Illustrating Activism for, “Inspiring water activism through powerful imagery” (Full 4-minute video available on YouTube.com/frederickafoster), Private reception held in New York, NY
2025
- Play with Time, The Linde Center, Aug. 23rd and 24th, 2025, Tanglewood, MA. A play written by Eric Sanders based on published conversations between Fredericka Foster and Philip Glass, Directed by Donald Sanders, featuring music by Philip Glass. Fredericka Foster was played by Rosalba Rolón and Philip Glass was played by John Hellweg. Paintings by Fredericka Foster were projected on stage.
2022
- Women Painters West: Art as a Tool for Social Change, online invitational
2021
- Oakwood Friends School Arts Lecture Series, Earth Day Presentation
2020
- Fredericka Foster on The Tuning Fork, interviewed by John Halpern and Emily Harris, Institute for Cultural Activism International, including artists from the Think About Water Collective.
- Your Environment Now, Fredericka Foster interviewed by Hildur Palsdottir and Keith Fiveson
2019
- Water Journeys, with Giana Perez González, Foundation for Art Theory and Education, Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, MO
2018
- Lecture & class on Art, Activism and the Salish Sea, Seattle Artist League, Seattle, WA,
Book available, titled, Celebrating the Salish Sea, on amazon
2017
- Sage Assembly, Presentation and Performance, Exploring a Catastrophe to Water with Art and Science, Seattle, WA
2015
- Presentations at LEAF NY Laser, Fredericka Foster and Bennett Shapiro
- Food, Water, and Art, Connections and Advocacy, Organizer and contributor, in association with the Cathedral Exhibition The Value of Food
2014
- Presentation at Beacon Institute of Rivers and Estuaries (BIRE), Clarkson University, Beacon, NY
2000
- Collaboration with braille artist, art historian/artist Hilda O’Connell, and blind volunteers developing verbal descriptions bringing artworks to life, Art Education for the Blind, New York, NY. Published contribution in Art Beyond Sight: A Resource Guide to Art, Creativity, and Visual Impairment.
PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA
2026
- Self published catalogue, highlighting available paintings with quotes from Philip Glass, Carter Ratcliff, Stephen Maine, Katy Diamond Hamer and others.
2023
- Earthkeepers Handbook, Pages 69-70, meditation instructions and drawing (ecoartspace)
- RIVERS: Think About Water, Garrison Institute in conjunction with Pathways to Planetary Health Symposium
2021
- Music, Meditation, Painting and Dreaming, Tricycle Magazine: Conversation with Composer Philip Glass
2020
- Ecoconsciousness, Exhibition catalog published by ecoartspace
2018
- The Smaller the Theater, the Faster the Music, Nautilus Magazine: Conversation between Composer Philip Glass and Fredericka Foster
2000
- Mary Mary short film, Seattle Underground Film Festival, Seattle, WA
COLLECTIONS
The Pierrepont, Commerce Bancshares, Comcast Corporation, Garrison Institute, General Electric, Merck and Company, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Rubin Museum, The Lake House Madison Park, Seattle, WA, also included in numerous private collections
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS (PAST & PRESENT)
The Century Association, College Art Association, Leonardo Education & Art Forum, Artists & Buddhist Contemplatives, Seattle Artist League, Think About Water, Foundations of Art Theory and Education, Factory of Visual Art
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2025 Barbara Wind, The Berkshire Edge, REVIEW: ‘“Play With Time’ brought a nearly out-of-body sensation to audiences at Tanglewood’s Linde Center”, September 4, 2025
2023 Alison Rooney, “Down by the River” Garrison Institute exhibit centers on water”, The Highlands Current, September 22, 2023
2021 Think About Water, an Ecological Artist Collective, Issues in Science and Technology XXXVII, Summer 2021
Susan Hoffman Fishman, “Thinking About Water on World Water Day,” Artists and Climate Change, March 22, 2021
2017 Fredericka Foster, Interview for Yale University Radio with Brainard Carey
2014 Tricycle Magazine, SPOTLIGHT ON, Fredericka Foster, Summer issue
“Like a Circle in Water.” video profile by Andrew Gladstone, represented in two festivals: The Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles, and the Blue Ocean Film Festival in St. Petersburg, FL
2013 Stephanie Strasnick, ARTnews; “reviews: new york, Fredericka Foster”, 09/23 NY
2009 Stephen Maine “Into the Deep”, Water Way, Fischbach Gallery, NYC
Carter Ratcliff ,“An Aqueous Cosmology: The Art of Fredericka Foster;” Waterway, Fischbach Gallery, NYC
2007 Simon Winchester and Katherine Anne Paul, The Flag Project, Contemporary Artists Celebrate the Opening of a New Museum, Rubin Museum, NY, April
2005 Tricycle Magazine, Vol. XIV No. 4 Summer, reproduction of Norwegian Fjord I
2002 Elizabeth Neuman, “Fredericka Foster: Water Way”, NY Arts, April
Deloris Tarzan Ament, Iridescent Light; The Emergence of Northwest Art, University of Washington Press
2000 Tricycle Magazine, Vol. IX No. 4 Summer, 2000. Full page reproduction of painting,
BUDDHA Galen Films/Romano Productions, The Spiritual Journey: Interfaith Perspectives, several paintings included in the 34-minute video presented to the World Parliament of Religious Leaders by the Auburn Theological Seminary and the Temple of Understanding
1999 Regina Hackett, “Urban artists fill a natural setting with surprises”, Seattle PI, August 31, Section D
1998 Becca Robinson, "What's Upfront", New Age Magazine, Nov.-Dec., P. 18, artist's photo by Sean Emmerle
1996 Tammy Paolina,"Fighting AIDS, Death through an Artist's Protean Vision,” Photography by Nicole Buchenholz; Hunterdon County Democrat, 11 April, What's Up? cover and P.3
Wendy Heisler, "Lending a Healing Hand",The Princeton Packet-Time Off, 5 Apr, P.11
"Deus/Virus: at Riverrun, an AIDS-Healing Installation", New Hope Gazette, 21 March, article and photograph P. 1
1995 Digressions on Infection, "le SIDA, theme central de l'exposition d'une artiste americaine..." Sophiapolis, 15 Januray
1981 Deloris Tarzan, “Obscenity in art: Does it … gender of the nude?” The Seattle Times, March 24
[email protected]
New York. NY and Seattle, WA