Tony Foster, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam Looking NE from near Syangboche, 2006   |   Watercolor and graphite on paper, mixed media   |   35 7/8 x 72 in. / 4 1/8 x 68 3/4 in.  |  2004.1.23 — Tony Foster, *Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam Looking NE from near Syangboche*, 2006 | Watercolor and graphite on paper, mixed media | 35 7/8 x 72 in. / 4 1/8 x 68 3/4 in. | 2004.1.23

Tony Foster Journey 12 | 2004–07 | 35 artworks

Searching for a Bigger Subject: Watercolour Diaries from Everest and the Grand Canyon

Painting locations: Arizona, Nepal, Tibet

Thought to be one of Tony Foster’s greatest achievements, Searching for a Bigger Subject juxtaposes the world’s vastest canyon against the world’s tallest mountain. The journey is a literal examination of the greatest of all wild landscapes—the Grand Canyon (USA) and Mount Everest (Nepal and Tibet). Given the subject matter, many of this journey’s paintings necessitated a large format and are incredibly dramatic, spectacular works. Foster managed to capture the immensity of these landmarks while retaining their integral details. The paintings are not only hauntingly beautiful, but they also provide an accurate sensation of the inhospitable nature of these regions. Foster endured bitterly harsh conditions while traveling for these paintings; on one occasion, he nearly lost his life. In some ways, the stories behind the paintings in this series are almost as powerful as the work itself.