Arron Foster

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As an artist, I am concerned with how physical landscapes transform into cognitive ones and how personal and public spaces intersect in the stories we tell about a place and the way we choose to represent it. The consequence is that most of the work I do begins with a site or a location that becomes a jumping-off point for my imagination.

Each project or series that I undertake is arrived at through an intuitive, research-based approach to observing, studying, and documenting specific locations with the hope of creating a dialogue between myself and the viewer.

As an Appalachian transplant to Northeast Ohio, I am keenly interested in the deep connections between the

two regions. Research and history have shown that throughout the 20th century, Akron, Ohio was an epicenter of Appalachian migration as large groups of both skilled and unskilled laborers poured into the region to work for the tire and rubber industries. While some of these transplants would only stay for a season, others put down roots and became established parts of the community.Migration has been an important part of the Appalachian experience and reflects the conditions of a changing world. While in residence, I strove to create a body of work that graphically represents the physical and cultural landscapes of the places people left and the places they settled in. I believe that the shared exploration and interpretation of places can encourage empathy for the spaces we occupy and perhaps foster a greater sense of stewardship and care.