Russell Foster to be remembered at Raveningham Barn art show

At the age of 96, Suffolk man Russell Foster was busy creating a series of paintings of Fritton Lake for an exhibition.

He was ill at the time and his consultant warned him the artworks would certainly make the show - but the patient himself probably wouldn't.

Undeterred, and determined his work would be included, Mr Foster continued working on the paintings from his sick bed. 

He died on July 24.

A painting of Fritton Lake by Russell Foster. (Image: Supplied)

The exhibition, which takes place from September 28 to 29 at Raveningham Barn and showcases his final artworks, will be a posthumous tribute to him.

Mr Foster was born in 1928 in Kessingland and as a boy spent his time in woods, marshes and rivers where he learned a lifelong love for the outdoors.

When he was a teenager he went to art school but found life too constrictive there and instead enlisted with the merchant navy.

He graduated from the Prince of Wales Navy College and joined his first ship.

Kessingland man Russell Foster in the merchant navy. (Image: Supplied) READ MORE: Devoted Norfolk missionary dies, aged 81

When he left the navy, he took up a forestry job in Northampton where he met his future wife, Anne.

The couple soon fell in love but Mr Foster was still gripped by the wanderlust and planned to return to sea on the sailing ship Pamir.

Not best pleased, Anne issued him an ultimatum - her or the sea.

She won... and in a twist of fate, in a hurricane off the coast of the Azores, the Pamir sank with only six survivors.

The Pamir, a 3,200 ton barque, is towed up to Gravesend as dusk falls on the Thames. (Image: PA)

After their wedding, the Fosters moved to Kessingland where Russell entered the world of flooring.

In 1957, they emigrated to Canada and Mr Foster worked onboard the Samoan Protection vessels patrolling the British Colombian coast against poachers.

They returned to England in 1959 and Mr Foster resumed his flooring career.

The couple would have three children, Michael, Andrew and Mark.

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Despite Mr Foster's success as the UK rep for a major Dutch flooring firm, he still craved the outdoors.

He became an eel fisherman, the job fulfilling his desire for the open air, and teamed up with a young eel catcher who fished in Lake Lothing.

The pair fished all over England and especially in Scotland, where Mr Foster owned a cottage in Forfar with his wife.

Later, when he was in his 60s, Mr Foster began to paint seriously. He specialised in marine art and joined the East Coast Marine Artists where he was an active member.

He excelled at painting ocean scenes as well as his beloved Scottish lochs.

Russell Foster, who has died at the age of 96, was an inspirational character. (Image: Supplied) His granddaughter Lucy Foster said: "He was extremely well loved - at his funeral he had everyone from the local butchers, the post office to his adoring family and his artist friends.

"My grandad was a particularly special man, he was an inspirational character with a passion for painting."

He loved football and remained over the years a faithful Canaries fan.

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Russell Foster loved spending time with his great-grandchildren. (Image: Supplied) He adored his great-grandchildren Yash, Zubin, Elvie and Layla and spent as much time as possible with them.

The exhibition will showcase over 100 works by local artists. It takes place at Raveningham Barn on September 28 and 29 from 10am to 4pm in aid of the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston RNLI.