The American Botanical Council (ABC) has announced the passing of author, photographer and ABC Board of Trustees member Steven Foster. Mark Blumenthal, ABC founder and executive director, has released the following statement:
It is with a deeply saddened heart that I share with you the unexpected news of the passing of our dear friend, longtime ABC contributor, and member of the ABC Board of Trustees Steven Foster. Steven died suddenly this weekend of unknown causes.
Steven was one of the most brilliant people in the entire American and international herb community. The author or co-author of 19 books and hundreds of articles, and a true master of the herbal literature, especially the Eclectic medical literature of the late 19th and early 20th century, Steven was also a renowned photographer of herbs and medicinal plants with an eye for beauty in every leaf and flower who was unparalleled in the global botanical community.
His keen eye for plants and his ability to photograph them produced a treasure of thousands of beautiful high-quality photos that graced the pages of numerous books and magazine articles, including hundreds of his photos in ABC’s journal HerbalGram, many of them cover photos. If you have enjoyed the beautifully compelling four-color photography in each issue of HerbalGram, you can usually thank Steven for the photos.
A self-taught botanist, and without any higher education, Steven knew as much or usually more about botany and the history of the literature on herbal medicine than many academics with numerous advanced degrees. His knowledge and memory of the botanical literature was almost photographic, and he had a beautifully eloquent way to explain and communicate his herbal wisdom.”
Blumenthal continued:
“There is so much one can say about his intellect, his memory, his sense of humor. Steven was an integral part of ABC even before ABC was founded in 1988. He wrote articles in some of the very earliest issues of HerbalGram when it was still a newsletter that Rob McCaleb and I edited and published for the American Herbal Products Association and the Herb Trade Association from 1983 to 1988 (until the formation of ABC and HerbalGram’s becoming a magazine-style journal). Steven has been associate editor of HerbalGram for over 30 years and on the Board of Trustees of ABC for over 22 years (since 1999), and past-Chairman of the Board for almost a decade. His input, commitment, and leadership at ABC is unparalleled. His intellectual, spiritual, and photographic DNA can be found in many areas of ABC.”
Blumenthal’s full statement can be found on www.herbalgram.org, where ABC will be setting up a special page with examples of Foster’s photography and tributes from friends and colleagues. Foster is survived by his wife Donna, his children Abbey and Colin, stepson Farrar, siblings and other family, as well as his network of friends in the herbal community.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
