Enid Foster facts for kids

Enid Bauer Foster (October 28, 1895 – September 20, 1979) was a very creative American artist. She was known for her sculptures, paintings, and especially for a unique art style she invented called monotype pen drawings. Enid was also a poet, a writer of plays, and a performing artist. She was a central figure in the lively art community of Sausalito during the 1950s and 1960s.

Enid Foster's Early Life and Art Training

Enid Foster was born in San Francisco in 1895. She grew up in a wealthy family in the Bay Area, with homes in Sausalito, Ross, and San Francisco. When she was 17, her parents sent her to New York City to study art. There, she learned sculpture from a famous artist named Chester Beach. By her early twenties, Enid was already a nationally recognized sculptor.

Returning to California

After her studies, Enid came back to San Francisco. She received important jobs to create sculptures for places like Golden Gate Park and for important people. Around 1930, she moved to Europe to continue her art education. She studied with well-known artists like Frank Dobson and Augustus John.

In 1938, Enid returned to the Bay Area and settled in Sausalito. One of her big projects was a large sculpture called a bas relief, titled The Three Fates. This artwork was made for Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. During World War II, many metal workshops (called foundries) were busy making things for the war. This meant Enid had to switch to making smaller sculptures. By 1950, she started focusing more on flat art, like paintings and drawings, and also on writing and performing.

What is Monotype Pen Drawing?

The oil paintings, drawings, and especially the monotype pen drawings Enid Foster created in Sausalito are considered her most important artworks. She developed the monotype pen drawing technique, which is almost unique to her.

How She Created Her Art

To make a monotype pen drawing, Enid would put blobs of paint onto a sheet of glass. Then, she would roll a piece of paper over the paint. This created random patterns on the paper. She would then study these patterns until she saw a picture hidden within them. After that, she used white paint to create open areas. Finally, she would use India ink and a special fine pen called a crowquill pen to draw the details of the picture.

Enid Foster's Creative Community Role

Enid Foster became a very important person in the creative community of Sausalito. People sometimes called her "Sausalito's Dame Edith Sitwell" because of her influence. She was even mentioned in popular newspaper columns, like Herb Caen's in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Championing Artists and Community

Enid was an activist who supported other artists and worked with town leaders. She sometimes disagreed with them, but she always fought for what she believed in. For example, when the Sausalito Art Festival stopped happening, Enid led the efforts to bring it back. Besides her unique drawings and paintings, she also wrote and directed funny plays and performances. She often designed the costumes and even acted in them herself!

Enid Foster created a huge amount of art during her life. Even though her work is spread out around the world and not often seen in big galleries, many collectors loved her art. They donated their pieces to the Sausalito Historical Society, which now has the largest collection of her work.

In 1971, Enid moved to France, planning to live there forever. However, in 1974, she had a stroke and returned to America. She spent her last years in care homes in Marin County and passed away in St. Helena, California in 1979.