Cole Foster

I think it was around 1996 or ’97… Rob Fortier was giving me a crash course on cool. It started at the Go Away Garage in Wichita, KS and finished that same year with a graduation of sorts in Paso. That’s when he introduced me to Cole Foster.

I have always admired his talent – not just as a fabricator and builder, but as a visual artist and someone that just understands design on a level that I don’t think many comprehend. If he touches it, it ends up better looking for it – no matter the medium, no matter the reasoning, no matter anything…

I interviewed him back in 2007 and have always thought that I did a piss poor job in communicating who Cole is. That feeling has lingered for over a decade and this morning I went back, read it again, and confirmed it. Man, I screwed that opportunity up.

I haven’t talked to Cole in years. This morning, I was trying to get my shit together for the work day when I ran across an old video from Fuel Tank. It’s a quick feature on Cole Foster and his shop and while there’s no real meat on the bone from an editorial standpoint, the video footage is quite detailed. Give it a look see and focus on the details of Cole’s shop and his basic environment.

Try putting that shit into words – cuz I damn sure can’t.

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Eventually, we are all gonna be gone and all that is left will be our legacy. When I think about Cole Foster and the kids that will idolize him in fifty years, I can’t help but think of Harry Westergard – impeccable taste, a bit mysterious, and maybe a little under-appreciated in his time. But, make no mistake, Cole will be legendary.