Mr Foster had based his business, Fink Design, out of Queanbeyan for the past 20 years.

He created the signature Fink water jug, which has become a design icon, and designed the striking "Ossolites" sculptures in the foyer of the ActewAGL building in Canberra.

Tributes have flowed for the talented and internationally renowned artist, whom long-time friend Andrew Thaler remembers as a great mate with a unique personality.

Mr Thaler said he was in shock at the death of Mr Foster, who was the best man at his wedding.

"I hoped it was a hoax," Mr Thaler said of the car crash.

"It was a pretty horrific crash. The only consolation is he probably died instantly."

He said the pair's friendship was one of a kind.

"We look like brothers," Mr Thaler said.

"We're both bald with crazy eyebrows and yet we met in my scrapyard [about 15 years ago].

"He was looking for bits and pieces to make his business out of."

Mr Thaler remembered Mr Foster as someone who took conventional thinking and "pushed it as far as he could".

"[Our friendship was] a funny little dynamic. We just clicked, very simply, very easily, and had a great deal of mutual respect and a common passion to question, to challenge, to work out why things are and where you can take things to their tolerance, to their limit and then take them beyond," he said.

"Making his products, his sculptures, his art, was taking the conventional thinking and pushing it as far as he could."

He said he saw Mr Foster for the last time about 10 days ago, at his workshop in Queanbeyan.

He said Mr Foster's wife, Gretel Harrison, was devastated, and the family had requested privacy at this time.

"She's not in a good way," Mr Thaler said.

"But she's adamant she wants to work out how to keep the business going."

Mr Thaler said Mr Foster would be greatly missed.

"He wasn't one to swan around in the limelight, he was a very unassuming fellow but he's widely known and very widely regarded," he said.

Mr Foster was a celebrated member of the region's tight-knit arts community and his iconic homewares are sold in high-end stores and gallery shops across Australia and internationally.

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council administrator Tim Overall said he would always remain in awe of Mr Foster's "creativity, innovation and artistry".

"Robert was a significant contributor to Queanbeyan and the region's art community and his talent and dedication will be deeply missed. Our thoughts - and no doubt the thoughts of the wider Queanbeyan and Canberra communities - are with Gretel and their family and friends," Mr Overall said.

ACT Policing is investigating the crash and has appealed for any witnesses to come forward.