Martine Aceves-Foster Fine Art Photography

Martine Aceves-Foster photographs in digital form as well as with film and produces fine art giclée prints in large format, using fade-resistant archival quality inks on 100 percent cotton, acid-free, photo rag paper.

Aceves-Foster’s dominant theme is flowers and other botanical subjects. Through light, form and color, she believes, we feel as though plants speak to us, and their “gestures” evoke memories and stir emotions. In flowers and plants Aceves-Foster sees the fabric of life, the brilliance of spirit, and the hint of life beyond view. She is intrigued by the way the play of light, color and shadow reveal layers of existence, mood and meaning. These photos are therefore not only aesthetic but metaphoric and, thus, a starting point for reflection.

Aceves-Foster’s “Windows on the World” photos also incorporate light, shadow, color and form to convey the complexity of life within and beyond the frame. In these photos, she aims for the iconic, so at a certain level everyone can view these photographs and experience a recognition that is universal. Beyond that, each viewer can weave a distinct narrative about where the people in the photograph are, what has brought them to this point, and where they are headed; that part of each viewer’s experience is unique. In that sense, each piece is an invitation to an imaginary journey.

A native of the Bay Area, Aceves-Foster has lived in Hawaii for 21 years. Her interest in art dates to early childhood. She recalls enthusiastically creating, at age 3, vibrant Crayola murals on teak paneling, which her parents harshly critiqued. They were more in favor of an extensive series of fantasy marine life scenes on paper, on which she embarked the following year. Later, she devoted herself to more faithful graphite renderings of people, animals, landscapes and, naturally, flowers.

Her mother painted in oils and watercolors, so it was common for the family to discuss composition, color, texture, light and mood. This was an important foundation to the way Aceves-Foster made her way through the world, looking at it through imaginary finger frames. Travel was also a part of her upbringing. She spent most of her elementary school years in bilingual schools in Argentina, during which time the family also traveled to other parts of Latin America. Frequenting London in her twenties, she was introduced to Europe. These overseas experiences expanded her appreciation for beauty in the world.

The camera came as a natural extension of her way of looking at the world – through finger frames – and as a result of the basic desire to record, share and communicate impressions. She became seriously interested in photography when she first developed black and white film in high school – while still maintaining her interest in drawing and painting.

In her first semester at college, not sure whether to major in art or Spanish, Aceves-Foster studied both subjects. The course in Spanish was engaging and delightful. The professor encouraged her to tutor students in Spanish, which she did; though not especially good at it, the experience left her with driving questions about how language works and how people learn.

Her impression of the art class was less favorable. It seemed to her that the professor’s main goal was to shape his students’ skills to suit his aesthetic preferences. Considering art a form of communication, Aceves-Foster felt that being trained to communicate someone else’s views was inappropriate and unfulfilling. This discouraged her, at that point, from pursuing a career in art.

Aceves-Foster earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from San Francisco State University and later a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She found teaching meaningful, enjoyable and invigorating.

While busy working and raising a family, Aceves-Foster pursued photography in her free time. Then about five years ago she returned to black and white film. Two years later she ventured into digital photography and began taking courses in Photoshop and fine art printing through the Outreach College at UH Manoa. In spring 2007, one of her pieces was selected for Artists of Hawaii 2007, a juried exhibition at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, sponsored in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. She has since gone on to show her work at Nohea Island Arts, the Honolulu Club, Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Gardens, 1132 Bishop Street, Kalapawai Café, and South Street Gallery/Frame-Arts Hawaii.

Last Updated: 2/27/09