British watercolor artist Tony Foster journeys to the ends of the earth to capture the beauty of deserts, rainforests, mountains, canyons and volcanoes. A frequent visitor to Ketchum, Foster has returned to the area to present a talk on his new book, "Painting at the Edge of the World," at the Community Library in Ketchum at 6:30 p.m. this evening. In addition, there will be a pre-lecture book signing and cocktail event from 4-6 p.m. at the Gail Severn Gallery in Ketchum.
"It is about 25 years," Foster said. "All the work is about the wilderness and painting canyons to mountains to icebergs to tropical jungles and enormous waterfalls."
Foster said he had been thinking about doing a book for a long time since he has been traveling to the world's greatest wildernesses. He said he thought it would make a great collection.
"I own over 150 art books and have only read about five of them because they are not interesting to read," Foster said. "I wanted to make a beautiful book and include essays about traveling and the importance of logistics."
Foster includes his diary excerpts, which are interesting anecdotes, and other stories about his journeys to paint spectacular scenics. His tales include a story of murder in Ghana, a woman stung by a scorpion and many other events that happened around him.
"Not many art books contain such things," Foster said. "It works, I think. It's beautiful, and people at my pub in Cornwall, England, have told me they love it."
Foster travels an average of three to five months a year. The rest of the year, he is in his Cornwall studio finishing his paintings or fishing. He said he is very fortunate that the sale of his work supports all his endeavors.
"I committed myself to do a six-foot painting on site at Everest," he said. "It was above base camp, but I had to go three times. The first time I nearly died of altitude sickness, but I am used to working in extreme conditions."
Foster said that at sub-zero temperatures he mixes gin with his paint, but even that usually does not work below minus ten.
"I am trying to produce work to reveal the sublime beauty of wilderness," Foster said. "I want people to acknowledge how extraordinary it is, and how we need to protect it."
"Painting at the Edge of the World" was published in conjunction with Foster's exhibition "Searching for a Bigger Subject," which is traveling to venues in Great Britain and the U.S. The exhibition focuses upon the contrast between Mt. Everest and the Grand Canyon. "Painting at the Edge of the World" will be for sale at Foster's Ketchum presentations.
"Painting at the Edge of the World." University of Washington Press. $75. 324pp.
