Meet Beau James Foster | Artist, Photographer, Poet & Story Teller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Beau James Foster and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Beau, how does your business help the community or world?
I certainly feel as though my work genuinely makes folks stop and think. I guess my first instinct to answer this question was the impact my personal stories have on those struggling with mental illness or addiction, but that has just recently became a narrative. Over the years I’ve been chasing the story. An emotion. A resolve. I take that very serious and I see a result most of the time when someone responds and says “I never really saw it that way” or “That made me think”. Of course I also enjoy making promotional videos or artful photos of small businesses to help bring awareness to their product. And I also donate my time to help folks struggling as many have helped me over the years.

Please tell us more about your career. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I tend to get in over my head. No, but really, I’m most definitely a student of anything creative over my life time. I’ve learned many many valuable trades that have done nothing but amplify each new project and spilling into the next. Whether it’s my photography, poetry, artwork, stories or songs, each one gets everything I have. I dislike doing these things but I’ve been told to be more confident in my ability so here it goes. I put my work into a unique category due to my ability to feel even the slightest movement in my my environment. What I mean is, I’m pretty in tune with the world around me and I see and feel more than most. I’ve always been that way since I can remember. If it’s unique, emotional, inspiring, or comical, I’m pretty good at recognizing that and putting pieces of it into my work. Especially in my photography. I pride myself in capturing what folks have described as an essence in a subject. To freeze a moment. Etch a memory. One man told me, “You made my wrinkles feel worth it.” That’s great day for my art. I guess that’s what I’m most proud of. Is knowing that my art or stories have moved people in one way or the other pretty consistently over time. I’m most excited about recently gaining the courage to know my work is unique and deserving of my efforts. I’ve always been afraid of rejection or failure. But therapy and rehab helped me overcome those fears finally for first time in my life. Isn’t that strange? Only now can I put in 100%after all these years of struggling. I wouldn’t have arrived here without being raised quite differently than most. My poor mother was in a terrible accident which left me an my sister under the watch of my older brother who never got to be a brother. He was like my dad. But that wasn’t forever. She got better slowly as I got older. But that’s where my artistic traits came from. Then there was my grandparents across the field and my aunt and uncle. Between those three houses I constantly absorbed stories, trades and old fashioned traits. I always chased my sister who was a step ahead of me in art. And I usually got in trouble for daydreaming too much or talking peoples ears off. That all melted together along with some wild and wooly times over the years to create this mess haha. The years I spent I law enforcement as well showed me the true violent and ugly side of the world as well as the good in those trying to help. The biggest turning point was arriving in Pilot Point, Tx years back and meeting a small group of artists, visionary’s, songwriters and story tellers that hung out a unique watering hole. I arrived a mixed up bucket of bolts and they helped put me together. They gave me the freedom to keep coming back there and experiment daily with any project I dared. Bob, Jay, Justine and now Lizzy Gator. They’ve been my family now. Not to mention all the incredible musicians that allowed me to help tell their story with the Jays Songwriter Festival I now host in its 13th year. It sounds like a fairytale to some but it has been wrought with peril and strife. Trying to find my “style” as they say, has been rocky journey until I finally realized “Hey! I am my own style”. My work has been truly unique since day one… go figure. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to trust myself. Trust my vision. Embrace my process. I wasted a lot of time trying to give folks what I thought they wanted. And don’t get me wrong, we all have to strive to move forward, but the more I’ve trust my work, the more I realized that’s what people wanted. They wanted MY soul in the pieces I produce. Not what’s trendy. What do I want people to know about me and my brand and my story? All 3 are unique and wrought with character.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First place I’d show em would be Isle du Bois State Park on Lake Ray Roberts. Then take em to see a few of the local ranches and catch my wife Jolene Wadds getting one of her horses ready to show. She’s pretty well known in the show horse industry but she’s too humble to say so. Just ask around though. Next to Lizzy Gators Event Venue for a peak at their incredible works of art. Next onto the Historic square. See the WWI monument. Bank from the Bonnie and Clyde movie. Numerous shops like Notoriously Yours and Martins General Store. Of course Cliff at the Hardware store to learn some history. Lowbrows for a cold one (coke for me) and music. Nicks Italian Restaurant for some dinner. A tour of Western Son Distillery and then some kayaking on the trinity river. But they can’t leave until they meet Jay Melugin. Author, songwriter, historian, pirate radio DJ, and hippie wedding videographer lol. He’s a staple in this town.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife Jolene. For letting me practice on her haha. For reminding me daily that I’m worth it. Bob and Jay for helping me be okay with being myself My mother introducing me to art and music Sante Center in Argyle for helping me find my authentic self and achieve sobriety. My community who has shown me that love really does heal.

Instagram: Broken Trail Productions
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokentrailproductions/
Youtube: Being rebuilt STAY TUNED!
Other: https://www.facebook.com/NorthTexasSongwriterFestival/

Image Credits
Model: Jolene Wadds Location: Lizzy Gator Event Venue Photo: Broken Trail Productions