Curriculum Vitae

• 2012
  • Book author: "Porcelain painting - EXOTICA"
  • Participation in exhibition "Peinture sur porcelaine" in Lyon, France
  • Interactional room design with art / photorealistic oil paintings for Victor Baumann GmbH & Co. KG
  • to come next: Participation in the exhibition "Art & Culture Show Hong Kong, China (International Porcelain Painting)
• 2011
  • New painting studio in Bad Pyrmont
  • Formative residence in Süd-Korea
• 2010
  • Interactional room design with art / photorealistic oil paintings for Petri Feinkost GmbH & Co. KG, Ottenstein
  • Formative residence in Japan
• 2009
  • Interactional room design with art / photorealistic oil paintings for: Vögele AG, Mannheim; Hamm AG, Tirschenreuth; Kleemann GmbH, Göppingen
  • Formative residence in New York
• 2008
  • Book author: "Porcelain painting - A Passion for Roses"
  • Took part in the exhibition in De Reehorst in Ede, The Netherlands
• 2007
  • Interactional room design with art / photorealistic oil paintings for Wirtgen GmbH, Windhagen
  • Participated in the exihibition "Porcelain Painting Today", Kultur Casino Bern, Switzerland
• 2006
  • Exhibition: Photorealistic oil paintings, Porschzentrum Kassel
  • Took part in the Fondation Pierre Gianadda Martigny, Switzerland
  • Book author: "Porcelain painting - Experiencing Nature"
• 2005
  • Took part in the Meissen Trophy
  • Potsdam, Germany: Silver medal winner
  • Exhibition: Photorealistic oil paintings, Mercedes Benz RKG, Bonn
• 2004
  • Exhibition: Oil and Acryl Paintings, Hornburg/Harz
• 2002 - 2011
  • Own painting studio in Emmerthal, Germany, gave porcelain painting seminars in other schools
  • Formative residence in South Africa
• 2000
  • Exhibition: Oil and Acryl Paintings, Castle Dringenberg, Bad Driburg
• 1996
  • Self-employed as a porcelain painter, seminar teacher, free lance artist, own painting studio in Höxter, Germany
  • Formative residence in England
• 1993 - 96
  • Worked in the product development department in the Fürstenberg manufactory
• 1989 - 92
  • Trained in different painting techniques
• 1980 - 84
  • Trained at the former Herzoglich Braunschweigische Porzellanmanufaktur Fürstenberg, Germany

Biography

Melanie Foster is an artist who is inspired by her love of art and life.

From childhood on, which she spent in the region of Weserbergland, Holzminden, Weser (Lower Saxony), she was fascinated by the art of painting and spent a great deal of her free time with painting pictures. After her time at school she started her professional career and was trained as an artist at the porcelain factory Fürstenberg where she passed with distinction.

In the following years, she intensively studied famous artists who painted subjects like flowers, fruit and hunting. She also dealt with gold decoration and figure staffage. Besides enjoying the painting of subjects that occur in nature, she managed to refine her skills even further by painting full particulars of the respective objects.

She rendered her sound education, her capabilities and knowledge as well as her enthusiasm for colours and shapes successfully in product development of the porcelain factory Fürstenberg near Hanover. Among other things, she was responsible there for colleagues and trainees who studied the subject of hand painting.

Her further education in oil and watercolour painting enabled her to express her feelings for nature in an impressive way both on canvas and paper.

Since 1996 she has been working in her own studio both for commercial and private customers. Her artistic spontaneity and the individual requests of her customers are a continuous inspiration for her. By now, numerous customers all over Europe appreciate the particularity of nature paintings on porcelain as well as her successful interpretations of themes relating to nature and technical objects in oil, watercolour and acrylic paintings.

It is a personal challenge for her to be able to pass on her abilities to artistically gifted persons who are interested in painting. Individually selected seminars therefore constitute an important part of her work.

Moreover, some of her works are regularly displayed in selected exhibitions in different places all over the Federal Republic of Germany.

Since 2011 she has been working in a newly-designed studio in the Weserbergland. This is where both her porcelain and painting works are created. Intensive seminar training with a focus on the subject of porcelain painting also takes place in these surroundings in a pleasant atmosphere in only small groups.