By Jason Savio

Art galleries often get an unfair rap. They’re usually stereotyped as being stuffy ~ strict places of minimal adventure, where everyone is expected to conform to the uncomfortable suit-and-tie wardrobe. A Worcester native and Mass Art alumnus, Matthew Foster, wants to change that.

The owner of The Foster Gallery, 51 Union St., Worcester, Foster is bringing the art gallery into the 21st century by combining art and technology. Through his own series of self-produced podcasts on ArtsyFartsyPodcast.com and his posting of Foster Gallery showings online, Foster hopes to expand interest and reach a new audience for the artists in a laid-back approach that is welcoming to all.

“One of my pet peeves for the last couple of years is that when you search for an art podcast, there seems to be two versions that are extreme from each other,” Foster said. “There’s either the comic book show that’s not really about comic book art, but more about comics in general, and then on the far other end, there’s the National Gallery of Art that puts up a professor who talks for two hours straight about tombstones in France. The average person is not going to listen to that, so we wanted to fill that middle void.”

Filling that void with audio media is Foster’s first step, with a collection of weekly podcasts he and his colleagues host. They cover every aspect of the art world, from analysis of popular artists and their work to the legalities involved with protecting one’s own art. In conjunction with the audio podcasts, art showings at The Foster Gallery will be available for viewing online on the gallery’s website as well as on YouTube.

“We’re trying to do things like that that are outside the norm,” Foster added.

While the focus of art in the Foster Gallery is mainly on paintings, drawing and print-making, being “outside the norm” is the heart and soul of The Foster Gallery. Not only are artists able to have their final works on display, but Foster also encourages them to show what he calls their “documents of process” ~ the sketches and different runs of trial and error that led them to their final works.

“One of my favorite things is the handful of sketches and drawings that led to the painting, and a lot of the time (galleries), only show the painting,” explained Foster. “I always encourage any of the painters we work with that if they are willing to sell those (sketches), we are willing to show them.”

The Foster Gallery is truly an artist’s art gallery. Run by an educated artist himself, the gallery is the product of Foster’s excitement and unique approach to self-expression.

“The idea is to kind of break out of the traditional mold,” Foster emphasized. “How we can invigorate some of these artists to really get involved is what I’m interested in.”

For more information, visit TheFosterGallery.com.